Chaldean Chronicles: Cadence of the Lostgrail
✅ - Pre-Lostbelt Game Rooms / 〚💬｜game-1
Darkness has begun. The fires of war have thrown over the capital dark overcast clouds that are swollen and just as rotten. You could pass through the imposing black gates that shut behind the column of troops that you have followed and disguised yourself with. You were lucky. This column of troops is the amalgamation of hundreds of broken regiments and battlegroups sent into flight before the searing might of Cao Cao. They barely manage to reach the city just as her fearsome calvary harrases their rear. In such confusion, it is easy to miss and completely forget that two of them bearing the 501st Regiment sigil on their shoulder plates should by all right be in Kaifeng.
Through desolate streets, you find the city has become when the gates closed. Shops and businesses have been boarded up. Light has been snuffed out. And home barricaded. There is no one to see on the streets but soldiers making desperate last-minute preparations by setting up barricades on the streets and moving up miniature artillery towed by Golems or by starving workhorses.
Ahead is a checkpoint, made up of a series of tables with scribes pouring over papers while soldiers lined up before them, at the end of the square after the gate where men are being reassembled and reorganized into a fighting force and other units.
@Game Ping 1
But slightly beyond that checkpoint King Hassan you would sense what felt like a Territory. Maybe it wouldn't detect you or your Master but you wouldn't want to be around it did.
@Squig
Shiki could see that black and red lines dancing all around the skies that formed a dome that covered the city. But they were scattered and randomly cutting them at wherever would do little but irritate it. But you could see all over the city there seemed to be points where these lines all gathered into one spot. Cutting it so many at once in one place, you guess, would be far more effective.
Ciel would see that there was a general dressed in black robes near the scribe stations directing men to the walls and towers to take up their place as the foe approached.
There didn't seem to be many escape routes on the ground level you could see other than the imposing iron gates that shut in behind you. But there were gates and stairways in the towers on the walls that made it over the top. From there, just open ground back to friendly lines.
@[Serpon]Teno/Penth/Nico/Azu
"Be waried Contractor, my sense picked up the presence of a Territory. Thy chance of meeting a Caster won't be absolute yet it won't be so slim" King Hassan telepathically said and warned Ciel about the territory"Thank you. I believe Shiki is working on that. responded Ciel telepathically back to Assassin. She had a good idea who caster might be. She had met and killed his clone after all.The closest lines of death you could observe was to your northeast. There seemed to be a path through the city streets that could reach it but you notice on that road there seems to be another checkpoint with guards. These ones are odd. You notice that they are dressed in much finer armor than the others, and they had a purple sash that had been tied around their forearms. They were stopping some soldiers and moving them over to the side.
In fact, Ciel's sharp eyes would notice that all around here in the crowd there were members were purple sashes around their arms. Most of them seemed to be stationed at strategically important areas like crossroads or armories or tower doors. In fact the soldiers that had been allowed to pass through the checkpoint ahead were only wearing those purple sashes whole those without it weren't."Assassin, see if you can find a guard or two alone. We can attempt to kill them and steal their uniforms." said Ciel telepathically to Assassin. She would then attempt to see if she could spot a guard or two by themselves.Perception check from Hassan to search for potential guards."Understood, my blade will deliver them a quick death as light as a feather fall" King Hassan said while shrouded himself with shadow (just flavour btw) and with his wits, he sneak pass the guardsKing Hassan would spot that in a nearby alleyway where five guards were resting before the battle properly began.
He would overhear them talking.
"When does it happen?"
"Soon."
"What will be the signal."
"He said we'll all know when it happens."
"Good. I hope it happens soon. I can't believe she deceived us like this. Everything we fought for, our values, for nothing."
"Now's our chance then. Some redemption under him. Just like it was meant to be. A fresh start." (edited)A soldier, of decently high rank, with a purple sash was going through the troops. He seemed to be inspecting the standard-issue weapons of the troops around him, being glaives, spears, the occasional sword for specialists, and longbows or crossbows. He seemed to be chastising those that didn't have their weapons in working order and was taking them so he could replace them with better ones. He was rapidly approaching Ciel and Shiki, just five individuals away."I have located the sinned ones, they seem to be plotting for a betrayal. What's your order on this Contractor" King Hassan said while grazing upon them with soulless eyes, his blade could end them in a swift motion but he wanted to hear Ciel's order first"They are potential allies. Give me a bit and perhaps I can make use of this situation." said Ciel as a plan started to formulate in her head. If she could get a moment to hide or talk to those guards, she could put her plan of action into motion.Ciel would spot that there had been a group of soldiers that the Gate Captain, a man in his late sixties with a large scar over his right eye and had the nameplate of 'Yin Shin' on his right breast, had already searched and stripped weapons from. They could maybe make a loop around
into that group but there was a decent chance he could potentially spot them on the way.
@Tyonis Shiki @[Serpon]Teno/Penth/Nico/Azu
His single remaining eye would suddenly spot Shiki trying to move past his line of sight. Shiki would notice that on his back he carried a simply massive halberd that could crush most men with a single blow. He stared down Shiki's disguise and began to approach rapidly."Soldier, name and regiment at once," He spoke in a deep and gravelly voice as he towered over Shiki in his full plate armor. But just barely as he finished that sentence the owl swooped in and attempt to attack him. His sharp eye tracked it. "Archers! Bring that pest down! I've seen sparrows used to set fires within the attics of cities during a siege." Several archers would take aim at the bird.
By the time the Yin Shin looked back the two were gone.
"Where did they go?" He demanded from the nearby soldiers and they shrugged, having been distracted by the bird skillfully dodging the hail of arrows.Shiki would see that they were closer. The closet one was maybe only three streets over.Ciel and Shiki would notice that soldiers in this area seemed only to have said purple sashes.Ciel would see that the five of them were huddled around at the end of the alley, sitting on creates. They didn't notice the two.The five soldiers suddenly stood up, hands-on their blades.
"How did he hear us?"
"Doesn't matter she did."
A soldier stepped forward. She had dark skin with unhealthy blotches of white on them. her eyes were swollen red and her fingers cracked and bleeding. "You. Who are you?" She demanded."Oh you're with the loyalists." the soldier relaxed his grip on the blade. "You pledge allegiance to the True Emperor then?""We have some." The soldiers reached into their pockets to give two sashes. "You were given the code word correct?""Didn't think so. The code word is "China Lives," response should be "Despite the Despoilers efforts." Got it?" There were some murmurings behind the woman.
"Those bastards. Killed so many of our brothers and now we have to side with them..." one of them muttered under his breath loud enough for Ciel to hear. (edited)"Take them." The soldier handed them to her. "What are you trying to even do here? In this city?" (edited)"You're going to take down the field? But that's what's stopping Cao Cao troops from breaching the city." The woman crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow. "The last thing I will allow to her filth to sully the Holy Capital.""Fine. We will hold the walls to keep her outside while we usurp the traitor within." The soldier scowled, clearly liking this arrangement less by the minute. "Then we will strike back and repulse Cao Cao with the True Emperor behind us. Just don't kill soldiers you don't have to, even if they don't wear this patch. Many of them may turn over to use when the True Emperor gives his signal."You would be able to pass the checkpoint now that you had the sash and were now on the very edge of the territory itself. Ciel could sense it right before her, close enough to reach out and touch. (edited)There were lines right before him that lined the territory but again they were scattered. Cutting one at best would just disable and flicker it in the immediate area for maybe a minute. But just around the corner he could see like tendrils digging into the earth they were all converging on a single point.Shiki would see around the corner in a city square were a group of guards and more interestingly two large humans... well at least they used to be humans. Their limbs had been malformed to become usually long, their bodies forced to grow beyond what was healthy leading to sores and bleeding all over their skin. They were buck naked save for tattered robes and were chained to pins staked into the ground as if they were guard dogs. They were sitting on the ground, moaning and groaning as the guards, lacking the purple sash around their arms, looked away in discomfort.
And in the middle of the square, the lines all converged on a single sigil on that had been etched ground but it was in the open surrounded by the aforementioned guards and mutants. One of the soldiers would draw a bow and fire at at the owl as it passed by, recalling the warnings before hand of fire birds.Dashing right under their noses Shiki's knife would pierce the sigil on the ground, staking it clear through the center and slicing it through the lines. It wasn't utterly destroyed but so many threads were severed that you could see the slight shimmer that denoted the territory above you flicker and for a short moment go out like a popped bubble.
One of the soldiers noticed Shiki as he saw the shield flicker and shouted out a warning at the top of their lungs. Automatic alarms planted by spells became to shirll all over the city.But at the final moment, Shiki would destroy the sigil utterly. So that not even fragments remained.
And with it the effect of fear had been wiped from the territory.
And all of you could hear a distant shriek of rage that seemed to echo through the city."It's him on the posters!" One of the soldiers yelled. "Get him and bring him to the palace alive!"The soldiers charged forwards to Ciel, intent on taking her down.The chains holding one of the ogres down didn't even last of half a second as it ripped it right out of the ground and charge the woman who had killed his brother.The slobbering mess attempt to grab Ciel with its massive hands. Moving clusmly and almost slamming into Zhou troops.The Ranger looked in shock as Ciel deflected the arrow in mid-air.
"Wha-what?!" He looked in shock at the inhuman move. "What the hell are these things... monsters the Magus corps created?""Retreat!" one of them yelled "We can't hold them here. Get the Magus and the Palace Guards to deal with them!""They're going for the strongpoints, they were targeting the sigil, warn each of them and move them to high alert!" another cried out.One of the Guardsmen would draw blood with his spear from Shiki. "Why won't you just die you bastard!"Shiki would spot down the street they had come from that there were suggestions of a patrol coming up the road, hurried by the sound of the sirens blaring all over the city. On the road to the north, he could also see another point they converged with, a large warehouse with smokestacks that strangely compared to the other "factories" that dotted the city were silent and no smoke came from.
Strangely enough, there are no guards outside this massive warehouse that seems to stretch for dozens of blocks in all directions. You can see etched in large Chinese letterings on the side is the word "Weapons Research and Development Center Five."
And underneath a warning.
"Un-Authorized personnel found on sight will be executed on the spot."
Though the reason for the lack of any guards around could be the fact that the large entrance before you has been barricaded with a massive heap of splintered furniture and all the large windows above have been boarded up so tight that not even light seems to get in.
And written in red paint, the same hue as blood, are the words. "Condemned. Do not enter for your own soul."
And again written to the side, this time smaller, as if dabbed on by a finger. "What the hell did we create?"
And Shiki would see that the lines all lead into whatever was the heart of this place. (edited)
There were no guards. Not even many footprints on the ashen-covered ground. It seemed that if a patrol did go through this area they either gave it a wide birth or passed by it as fast as they could.Shiki would see a feel dozen feet from the door there was a weak spot in the wall and guessing by the fact it slightly protruded out the main building and that there were sewer gratings near it, it was probably a latrine of some sorts not connected to the door.Also it seemed that in the distance you could hear the clanking of armored feet and the galloping of horses. Probably a patrol sent to check on the strongpoints after the first one was found destroyed with its guards dead."If you wish, I can use myself as a bait Contractor" King Hassan telepathically sent a message to Ciel"No need to do that yet. We don't want to enemy to know this is the location we are hitting next." said Ciel telepathically to King Hassan.Inside the room was dark, lit only by the hole created you could see that indeed the room had been latrines with runnings water in buckets in one corner and three stalls with wooden doors at the other side of the room. There was also a set of doors that seemed to lead into the building itself.
For the two of you that had noses you can tell that there was an awfully pungent spell in the room. And it wasn't from the latrines. It was like old parchment and garlic that was coming from one of the stalls."Assassin, your still in spirit form? If so, start to scout around for us." said Ciel telepathically as she gave an order to King Hassan."As you wish Contractor" King Hassan said while passing through the wall like a ghost. Well logically he's a ghost in spirit form and normal form but ehCiel would notice under one of the closed stalls there was a dried dark pool of fluids. (edited)She would see that the fluids were coming from what seemed like a pair of shoes in the gap underneath the stall door.Said shoes were motionless and seemed to have been for some time though it was still behind the stall door. (edited)Ciel would find that there was a person behind that stall.
But a dead one.
There was a large gash over his throat as he sat slumped over the toilet pit and a broken shard of glass still clutched in a rigor-mortis fused hand. He was dressed in rich robes with a jade crystal around his neck on a string. Ciel would recall that the robes didn't seem too dissimilar to the Magus she had killed on the cart en route here but clearly of lower rank.
He'd seem to take the time to write on the walls of the stall with dried blood, "I don't doubt death will be even an escape from my sins. What did she do to deserve what we did to her?"It shuddered a bit but didn't seem to really do anything out of the ordinary but slump further forwards and fall onto the floor to reveal deep old gashes on its back where something sharp, and lots of sharp things, had savagely nearly stripped his flesh to the bone. He'd probably wouldn't have made it even without the shard of glass.The both of them would see the same hallway King Hassan did, just a long corridor that seemed to branch off at the end of it. Though there was now a pervasive scent of old rot and general musk in the air. It was thick as well, soupy and would be hard to breath in for normal humans.To the northern end of the corridor the pair of you would see that around the door where you had seen it was barricaded it was indeed a grisly sight. Dozens of bodies pressed against the doors, trying desperately to get out but only crushing each other in the press. So frantic they had been their fingernails had drawn grooves in the stone wall around them.
And it wasn't the press that killed them. They were dried husks indeed but they were dry husks that had been torn apart savagely like they had been feasted upon on by a pack of wolves.
Down to the south were two more doors and a turn in the hallway. Shiki would guess strongly that there was where the main factory floor stood and likely the sigil point."The scene... I can feel a sinned in here. Contractor would you want me to materialize in case for a surprise attack" King Hassan asked Ciel, the people, the place and the fluids. Everything in here seems wrong even for an Assassin like him"If you think that is best, then do so." said Ciel in response to King Hassan as she continued to explore while letting Shiki guide the way.Ciel would see that now the hallway turned into a storage room of some sort. It could lead deeper into the factory but the same case could be made to the south most door. In fact, she would be able to hear sounds of skittering and something moving behind it softly like it was crawling on the ground behind the south most door.Through the door again the powerful waft of rot would follow. In the room, she would see that the ground was absolutely covered in sticky fluids that had clogged the gutters in the room. There were stone slabs on the sides of the room that had bodies strapped down onto it. Some sort of IV-like device on a metal stand had been siphoning some sort of now empty glass at the top into their bodies in way of slits that had been opened on the bodies arms.
The bodies were skeletal, ribs showing from starvation and bruises all over their skin from where they had struggled against the restraints. Their veins were black and their eyes were utterly black from the blood vessels that had burst.
The three of them would notice that two of the slabs were empty. The straps ripped apart. One was rather recent.
At the end of the room was a desk with a closed leather ledger on it. The author wasn't in a place very far away. Or rather places as something had torn him apart so that nothing larger then his torso lay scattered around the room. Around the corner Ciel would hear the sound of thrashing and shuffle as well as deep moans of pain. Said sounds were eerily familiar to her and it was confirmed as she rounded the corner.
It was a pale figure in rags, his skin had been malformed to become long claws. He was crawling and moaning on the ground.
Shiki would see its true self. There are "lines" running all through him. Those "lines" are all over him like blood vessels… so much that he can't even make out his appearance. Everywhere throughout it, he can see "black points" that look like they are flowing blood.The disgusting excuse for a human shambled towards Ciel after its arm was torn clean off by the black key. It was babbling with words it had long forgotten the meaning of. "Help me help me help me help me help me help me help me help me."It died. Thankfully.
In the room Ciel would see the bodies of two magus strewn over the fairly sparse room, nothing much but flasks with liquids and books on magecraft strewn about. And there were two bodies there as well. But they hadn't died to any ghouls. Instead, one of them was slumped over the other. A dagger thumped into the chest of the other. Whatever it had done it had angered the stabber to stab the dead man to the point where his ribcage had been torn open.
The one that had been stabbed was also wearing rich robes with denoted his was possibly of the highest possible Magus Rank within Zhou ranks. (edited)Another hallway. Almost like an airlock in a way with a small chamber and three doors..On the door to her right, she would hear some words behind it. "Hey, who's there?" it was spoken in a hushed whisper."Oh god are they gone? They finally sent help. I thought they just left us to die. I heard the screams those days ago and I've locked myself in here with my friend here. Say hell buddy~" he said, voice muffled from behind the door, to a figure Ciel couldn't see through the door. There was no reply.
"Oh he's just feeling sleepy. Anyways, how did you kill them? Whenever we struck her with weapons she just didn't seem to feel it." (edited)"No. How can I be sure you're not who you say you are? I've heard her crying and sobbing, poor thing, but she's asked me to open this door before. That's how they got Han. And I can't leave my friend while he sleeps so soundly. Just look at him. So still and peaceful." the voice trailed off at the end into something more whimsical.Ciel you also smell the suggestion of rot through the door as well."Burn, why?" the voice moaned. "She's so scared and young despite what she's done. She didn't deserve this... she didn't deserve what we did to her... the things... the wails she made as Magus Jin worked on her."
"Okay I'll come out but only if you promise to help my friend. Promise?" (edited)The door would creek open to reveal a single bloodshot eye looking at her. She would see a mouth speak. A mouth that seemed ringed with something red and dried. "Are they still outside? Is it really safe?"The man would open the door further to reveal himself, dressed pale in a deep purple uniform. He had a bandage drawn over his right arm but it seemed to have become infected somewhat with unhealthy grey pus seeping through the bandages and the viens around the area starting to become black.
"Hey, buddy, we can go now," he said. Ciel would see the sleeping buddy. Now she would know that this person likely hadn't left the room for something like a week given the waste in the corner of the room that reeked. He would have had to eat something.
The "Buddy" was utterly still and cold and its legs and chunks from its flabb forearms were missing."Right. And, um, if you see her tell her that I don't hold a grudge against what she did to Han. We all deserved it. She didn't." He would reach out and give Ciel a small wooden box barely the size of his palm with a wind-up in the side. "Take it. She cried a lot when that bastard Magus worked on her. This was from her mother, it was the only thing that calmed her down."
Then he began to drag his buddy out with him. "Come on. I know I've been hungry the past few days but there's a noodle shop nearby..."
Ciel would open the door to find that is was a dark storeroom of some kind filled with full flasks and other Magus instruments.
And there half a dozen pair of red glowing eyes staring back at her through the door.
@[Serpon]Teno/Penth/Nico/AzuMoaning one of them would attempt to grab Ciel will their clawed hands, their mutated teeth reaching out of their own jaws in an attempt to bite her.One of the shelves would shudder and jars of strange liquids would crash onto the ground, breaking and spreading their black contents all over the floor.The room Hassan would see had been painted completely red. And painted red recently. There were a group of figures crouched around a recently killed body and there was the sound of crunching and slurping as they feasted over it.
Suddenly the three of you would hear low crying. "Please stop. Please make them stop it hurts so much."
@Game Ping 1There was a small little girl lying curled on the ground. "Please make them stop..."Two of them reeled about in sudden shock at this new-comer while the other two hissed at its apperance.
"W-who are you?" the voice whispered
@Squig"Please leave. Please leave me alone. I just want to be left alone." it whispered as the first Ghouls charged towards Hassan."What... what is that? Mommy?" the miniature form stood up. "Mommy!? Are you there!?"
@[Serpon]Teno/Penth/Nico/AzuThe ghoul that was about to charge madly towards Ciel instead just stood there, confused."Mommy! Please say something!" The voice was on the verge of tears.The two ghouls moved toward the girl. "Wha-what are these things!? What are they? They keep following me around! They're always so hungry!"At the sight of the ghouls being cut down the girl let out a terrible shrill scream in sheer terror at the King of Assassins, a tall black figure of death who to be butchering his way indiscriminately."WHAT ARE YOU DOING?""No, no, no its like what the man in robes did to my friends. He cut them open like that!" She frantically muttered as she began to step backwards."No, no, no, get away from me! Get away from me! You're not different than the rest!" With an unnatural burst of speed that turned her into a blur to Hassan and Ciel's vision suddenly, she sped through one of the doors that had slammed open.She entered some unseen room and the doors slammed behind them.Breaking down the door Hassan would find himself in some sort of room that had been used as furniture storage as well as storage of formerly magic items that had just been discarded. Tall objects lay scattered all over and under tall tarps. He could hear the sound of scurrying in the room but he wasn't sure from where.
"I said go away... why won't you go away," the voice hissed in the room, impossible in pin down even a general location. "Why won't you go away!" (edited)"Then if you won't go away..."Spotting Ciel the ghouls on the factory floor would charge forward!"Assassin, I think I have located the main room. We should destroy it." said Ciel telepathically as she communicated to Assassin while getting in a defensive position."Understood Contractor"Suddenly a small figure would leap out from behind a pair of boxes in a savage attack and grapple onto the back of the black gaint. Its teeth sunk deep into the King of Assassins, drawing out mana and life.
"I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Suddenly it would let go and flee into the shadows."Let go me, you black beast! Just leave me alone?" She sobbed. "Just leave me alone please!"A gust of wind would blow through the factory and the doors would slam shut in the face of Shiki.She let out a shrill scream as Ciel penetrated her with the black keys. "WHAT ARE THESE! THEY HURT SO MUCH!""I've had enough!" With that, the girl would sink her teeth into Hassan and overwhelm his spirit graph. "You won't leave me alone? I'll make you leave me alone."And with that King Hassan, Servant of Ciel was no more, and now there was only King Hassan, the Dead Apostle.
@Game Ping 1
Lots of chatter could be heard as you arrived among the prisoners of war who have managed to escape. These prisoners are resourceful, having gotten several carriages and as a result, don't even need to walk. They are currently moving away. Though you are able to see that they are hungry. You are also able to tell that these prisoners are a bit scared as well.
The weather is currently cloudy but is otherwise normal.
"Hello there, we're a group tasked with helping you all get to friendly territory. We'll be helping you guys travel and even give out some of our rations to feed the hungry. We can also offer protection to you all in case you get attacked." I am awfully sorry master but...um...Esztwo was the only one I had who knew how to cook..." (edited)Several of the prisoners would look at each other, having confused looks. But one prisoner would smile. "You are from Chaldea. I once fought side by side with you guys. We are honored that you are protecting us. Come, sit with us as we travel to friendly territory."
With that most of the other prisoners would calm down. Several of them would start to dig into the rations."Ah, you know of us, that makes introductions a lot easier. I'm Nagato and this is my group."
He turned and smiled.
"One of them knows who we are which makes this easier, take a seat and make sure to stay on the lookout. We can't get caught off guard. Poe help me pass out the rations so everyone gets them. If anyone needs some translations come order find me or call for me."
It's fine Poe the rations are good enough.
"Indeed. I saw your group take out almost an entire army on their own." said the prisoner before we would then stand up on the carriage that was transporting him.
"Attention everyone, these are allies from Chaldea. They are here to protect us and have brought us food." said the prisoner. The other prisoners would then cheer expect for one carriage which would stay quiet and keep to themselves."Master, alert the group. Six men, coming. All Armed. Tell the prisoners to flee."Understood, don't attack them yet, ambush them when we start fighting.
Having informed the others, Petra points towards where she last saw Jack. "That way, they'll be here soon.""My allies have spotted six men coming and they're all armed. Pull back while we handle them, it won't take longer than a minute or two."'There coming from that direction by the way."
he pointed in the direction they men were about to appear from."Six men? Very well." said the Prisoner as he stopped his wagon. The other wagons would stop but some prisoners would start to complain, asking what the hold up was.Understood
Poe Opened his book and began a chant
“*Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality. My Creation of Horror gain physical form; Red Death! *”
*The air twisted and contorted with each word as a figure cloaked in red with long sharp claws and a skull mask came to be *The six armed figures would appear on the road now, blocking the path of the wagon in the distance but their weapons were put away.
1"Good day to you all, Mind telling me what you guys are doing out here?"Upon Poe summoning the twisted figure, prisoners would start to scream. They would start to jump off the wagons and if not stop, start to flee.The prisoners would stop screaming and calm down as they heard what Nagato said. The six men though, didn't flinch. They were clearly not scared.
"We are elite bounty hunters and we were sent by Cao Cao. Our job is to find enemy mages and we believe some are hiding among your caravan of prisoners." said one of the armed figures.Shall I order the Red Death to advance? And I'm sorry about startling the Prisoners, its seems its form has morphed since I last used him"And what proof of that claim do you have? I'd like to see it now or else we can't find mutual ground." He spoke in chinese.
It's fine poe, hold off on it's advancement until the combat starts, and could you also alert the others that we might have some mages amongst the prisoner."Proof? We don't answer to you. We are not requesting this, we are demanding this." said the bounty hunters. They would then draw their weapons, which seemed to be magical enhanced.
"I will repeat myself on last time, allow us to search your caravan for the mages."Hmm, how about... No? he spoke in Chinese as he prepared for combat."I see, then it comes to this." suddenly a fire ball would be hurled at the group from one of the caravans and combat would begin."the dead is done Master petra, all but the driver has been effected. Take them while they are disorganized from the blast."
"Master, 3 of them are dead. Please stay safe."The mages would fire a series of fireball after seeing their own get killed. Though Poe managed to get out of the way, the carriage that was transporting a number of escaped prisoners blew up, killing all the escaped prisoners there.
"They are almost all gone, just one last one before I can assist you wll.""Leave that one for us, we want to have a talk with them~"Seeing one of their comrades get killed, the other bounty hunters would suddenly get furious.
"That is it, no more holding back. We go all out now!" said one of the bounty hunters as the others nodded their head. Several magical items would then activate on them. 
Olga Marie stands in the center of the command room and watches Group A make their way to the rayshift room.
"One last thing," she says.
"I won't be able to babysit you once you're in. There's a minute Singularity that demands my attention. I can respond to any emergencies, but so long as nothing goes wrong, my attention will remain split. In the meantime, Caster will be monitoring you in my stead."
Da Vinci waves from behind the director, a smile on her face.
Initializing R a y s h i f t. . .When you wake, you find yourself staring down at a miniature landscape. It's a large hill of snow that spans out like a massive white blanket.
You're free falling towards the ground 500 feet below you.
@Game Ping 11 ◉◉◉〇
Through Paracelsus spell, your rapid descent to a fast death slows down. You're now comfortably drifting towards the ground.
Once your feet touch the ground, the cold of this place hits you. You're assailed by a freezing wind.
You're now standing in the sea of white you were just looking down at. There's no signs of anything living or even any civilization.An image of Da Vinci appears through your communications device, but it flickers with instability.
"H-br--ss-s-bs--"
"Hello? Ca---ss--b--s-s"
It cuts out again.Ortlinde sends her familiar into the skies, and immediately, the freezing wind is giving it trouble. When it ascends up high, the wind picks up and sends snow harshly pressing against it.
You're finding yourself in the middle of a snowstorm.
If you remain here, you'll suffer the effects of the harsh environment.
For every hour of travel, all characters must make a DC 26 Constitution saving throw or take 2d6 bludgeoning and 4d6 cold damage as numbing frost takes over them and sleet assails them. On a failed save, they suffer a level of exhaustion. On a successful save, they take half damage and suffer no exhaustion. Efforts to keep warm grant advantage on this roll.Fie, as far as your eye can see, there's nothing but a blanket of snow surrounding you.
Ortlinde, your familiar soars through the sky despite its troubles flying. You can just about make up some signs of civilization in the far distance before the wind gets too bad. Your bird musters all its strength to stay in the air, but it's not enough. It plummets back down.
@Thicc|Fie/Ali/Ayu/Miyu/Nag/Mel @[Serpon]Teno/Penth/Nico/Azu4 ◉◉〇 After a while, Da Vinci's signal finally connects with you again.
"Hello? Can you hear me? Hello, hello?""Thank goodness, you can hear me again."
"I was trying to send you your current location when something interferred," she says.
"Here, let me try again."
"Yep, it's for the best if you get out of there as soon as possible. The last scout time was able to go just as far as you were before we lost contact to them. It appears the interdimensional travel disruption isn't in full effect yet, at least where you are."
"But these conditions are no good. I see you've employed a spontaneous solution to it, Monta. Good thinking. If you're be able to gather intel while you're here, that'd be perfect. We haven't had any contact to locals, so if you spot survivors, try to establish a friendly relationship. Well, that should go without saying.""Alright, I'll leave you to it. I'm closely monitoring your vitals, so don't worry. I'll warn you if the cold gets too hard on you."After tredging through the harsh snow and icey wind for an hour, you seem to have gotten through the worst of it. The wind.. slowly lessens, and the snow lowers its tempo to a point where it gently falls on you. But even now, it's still freezing.
You arrive at the small village. It's a cluster of stone buildings decorated in white. There’s no sound.
The houses here are unseeming stone constructions. They're neither particularly imposing nor well crafted, but if they've been able to withstand the snowstorm you faced on the way here, they're doing their job.Looking through the village, you hear no sounds from any of the stone buildings besides the gentle taps of your feet in the snow.
One of the houses has its door standing open. A large pile of snow has built up inside it.While you're all making your way through the village, Fie spots something unusual in the snow. For just a second, it seemed to be moving.
Taking a closer look, it's not just in that place. You're surrounded by living beings completely camouflaged in the snow. They don't seem to have noticed you spotting them yet.Ortlinde investigates the houses.
(Investigation 10) You find simple clothes made of linen, blankets and various tools made of wood and stone. Three knives, each a different size, and a javelin.
In several of the houses, you find rotten fish and meat exuding a nauseating stench.While Fie is trying to get a closer look at these beings in an attempt to figure out if they're foes, they attack.
They're wolves made of ice.On impact, the ice wolves crack into shards of ice.A short young woman calmly makes her way through the village towards you, a barbed red spear in hand.
Her purplish-red hair elegantly sways behind her.
Her eyes show no emotion, but her hostility is clear.
"Servants," she says. "What business do you have in these lands?"
"All beings that cross the border of snow belong to Thrym," she answers.
She looks over to the wounded Paracelsus.
"That is my name, but it no longer matters."
"You must have a death wish walking into Thrym's realm."
She looks at your wound and her eyes flicker with uncertainty, but only for a second.
"You may not."
In response to Ortlinde's question, she simply raises her spear.Ortlinde and Paracelsus, this Servant strikes you as a proud warrior.
In fact, Paracelsus, as someone who's committed evil before, you can't imagine someone like her has the heart for it. There's undoubtedly far more to her than you can tell from just this short meeting, but that's a feeling you can't shake.
@[Serpon]Teno/Penth/Nico/Azu @StarryCleric (edited)
Scathach's eyebrows furrow.
"There's no time for talk," she says.
"I am Thrym's weapon. If you're here to watch the snow, you're his property. If you're here to oppose him, you're my enemies. Do you understand now?"
Scathach listens to you, her expression unchanging. She lowers her spear just a bit.
"I can't do that for you," she says. "..."
"If you leave now, I won't fight you. Let this be a warning for you."
Before you leave, Scathach speaks up again.
"Your wound," she says. "You need to treat it. Magic doesn't help against the fangs of those creatures.""..."
She doesn't say anything after that and simply watches you leave.Once you've built some distance, Da Vinci's transmitted image appears.
"That went about as well as it could have," she says. "Talk about defusing a bomb.""This was one of the possibilities I'd considered, and I'm happy it's this one," Da Vinci says. "We have a pretty sizable army of Norse warriors at our aid. What better foe than one of their greatest enemies?"
She gives a devilish grin. "Oh, and I went ahead and scanned that Servant while you guys were talking. Unsurprisingly, she's of the Lancer class. It's a bit hard to believe that she's Scathach though. We don't have any records of Scathach at Chaldea, but she's known as the strongest and proudest female warrior of Irish mythology. I was expecting someone a bit more. . ."
"That's an interesting point, but probably one too elaborate to discuss the implications of."
Your group reaches the end of the snowy hills. As if cut off, the icey wind simply stops. Before you is a completely different land, rich with wildlife and greenery.Paracelsus and Monta, you can feel the Bounded Field end here."Bad news about that. You still need to locate a leyline to establish a base, or we won't be able to gain stable entry into the Singularity. It'll help stabilize our communication too. It's a shame you couldn't find out anything more from Scathach, but there's no use contemplating what-ifs."
"I do have good news though. I've been running scans nonstop, and I think I might've hit gold. I spotted human activity not too far from where you are. They might be hostile or generally unapproachable, but that shouldn't stop us from trying. It seems to be a village about ten miles from your current location.""I'm on it," Da Vinci says. "You were around so much snow infused with magical energy, it was impossible to make heads from tails, but now that you're in the clear, it should be easier. Give me a moment and I should be able to find something."
"I got one near you. The leylines running through this land seem to be really thick. This one is in the mountains south east of you and it seems to stretch across most of the land."-213 ◉◉〇 "The village is nearby, but I think it's best if you prioritize one or the other. When your plate's too full, things always become messy."
"Do keep in mind that we spotted hostiles in the mountains. That was a lot further north than where you'll need to be heading, but expecting combat is a safe call."
-33-33-27-28-297 〇 
You're able to reach the mountains with little difficulty.
"Alright. I need you to hold your position while we establish leyline control. Monsters will probably come flocking soon, so get ready."You're attacked by a group of harpies like the ones that were spotted during the Master meeting.
They viciously attack Ortlinde who's prioritizing her allies safety, trying to drag her away with them.In the midst of battle, harpy feathers go flying wildly."That wasn't too bad," Da Vinci comments. "Good job guys. You can rest now. Eeeexcept for Paracelsus. If you'd get started on your territory creation, that'd be great." 
'Arjuna, do you have any suggestions on how to go about this?"
"ibaraki you tiny goblin come here be useful"
1 ◉◉〇
The girl groaned though as if she was in pain."Ah! Thank you!" She responds as your auto translator commits to its job.
"Uhm... who are you guys?"
The tanned girl asked as she gripped her knife tightly, looking at the Chaldean confused.
"Ah! Be careful!" She shrieked at them beating the crap out of Arjuna."Uhm!" She notices them, trying to kill the monsters and tried to make out the words but couldn't.The girl swiftly stabbed the monster with her knife which then burned. Then she looked st Sal and said.
"You need fire to kill them properly!" (edited)The girl nodded herself at Arjuna and prepares her dagger.As the beast comes back, she took action and tried to stab the enemy but her weakly arms disnt allow her knife to pierce the monster at all.
"Ah! I'm sorry!" (edited)"Ah! Um. Okay!" She handed him over the dagger almost instinctly"Phew. Oh. Right." The girl wiped off her sweat and took a soft breath. Then she extended her hand towards Sal and waited."Thanks. I-." Then she pauses, and then looks at each member of the groups individually before jumping far away from them as she shook in almost comedic fear.
"W-w-wait! Who are you people???""Eh... You're all weridly dressed as just " strangers"..."
She says as she squints at then as she slightly cowers at them. And she says that, you would all realize that this girl is waaaay too modernly dressed for her time. Probably a bit too revealing as well.
"Uh... I'm fine."
She straightens her body before bowing to them.
"My name is Naiein. I'm surprised to see other people here. Most other tribes in the area had alrrady been obliterated." 
As Salomon attempts to analyze the best way to escape and the sense of direction, he'd suddenly realize something. The explosions he'd hear was more akin to Magecraft instead of just regular explosions. Additionally, the girl seemed curiously worried, as if she eas being chased but there was a clear hesitation in her every word. Finally, perhaps peaving the forest is safer, due to the amount of magical energy inside enought to house those giants even. Even still, what was outsidr is still unknown and also has too many variables.
This suddenly went from bad to worse in less than a minute.
28 This is the village of Sicambri, which stands tall deep within the forest of Germania. The houses they built are made of the materials around them, though most of them are made of wood, some others are built more sturdier. Stones. Men were less than women. Though some of the women carried weapons and clearly has combat experience, every mans eyes could be said to have seen hell and fought in it. As if they were warriors who where born with war. Female warriors are many due to men getting lower and lower, though most females focuses doing chores.
They all are suddenly on guard when strangers entered, holding onto their weapons, but clearly was onky hesitant because of the priest leading these strangers."Be Wary, Archer."
At the edge of the village near an opening between the trees, a platoon of Cherusci Spearmasters and Scouts were adjusting and checking the saddles of their black steeds, provided thanks to the stables that Monta had built. It was a flurry of activity as orders were being relayed back and forth while last-minute equipment was being hauled up to be mounted on two wagons in the front of the formation.
@Game Ping 1The sky above was somewhat cloudly in the early morning and the forest ahead were still bathed in a half-twilight.
As the formation moved into the open plains they were flanked by a vast black forest, almost like a void was within it. There were old boulders, rock outcroppings, and ruins that formed almost a barrier with the forest.
The riding formation moved right by it to avoid a small ditch and that's when it happened.
@Game Ping 1
Texas with her sharp eyes would suddenly spot movement in between the trees at the edge of the black forest. She couldn't tell how many but she knew whatever it was, was decently large. She could guess that she maybe had seconds left given how fast it was moving.
@Kuro (Rat|Qtz|Yasu|Sei|Ath|Illy) (edited)Suddenly something large and long would fire out of the trees with such speed it became a blur. There was a scream at the head of the formation as two horses fell, impaled together on a massive stone javelin. There was general chaos as the formation moved towards the ditch that had been seen earlier.
More Javelins shot out of the treeline, several more horses fell but thanks to Texas warning the vast majority managed to get to cover either behind the rock outcroppings or the ditch behind.Texas would see two shadows in the treeline that were hucking massive javelins at anything that moved. A Cherusci warrior was unlucky enough to poke his head too high over the ditch and lost it as a result.Suddenly bursting from the treeline you would see a wolf with ice on its fur and frost on its breath.Bounding and leaping it charged the group with everything it had, jaws wide open ready to chomp off the first head it saw.Another wolf would charge out of the treeline and cover Nagato in its icy breath.
@Thicc|Fie/Ali/Ayu/Miyu/Nag/MelWith a great roar one of the Javelin Hucking Giants charged towards Nagato, impaling him with a massive Javelin to the ground before striking the man with its greatsword.
Letting out a gutteral groan, a wolf suddenly charged forward and tried to bite Nagato but failed despite the man's current state.Roaring in fury at the kill, the Giant would stake Yasuke to the ground with his massive spear and strike him twice with the greatsword.Suddenly everyone would feel a strange cold aura gather around their boots and lower portions of the body. Almost as if they felt it too for a moment the wolves and gaints stopped their howling, falling silent in both fear and respect.
Thundering footsteps.
Something was coming out of the forest, turning branches and grass to ice in its wake.
@Game Ping 1Everyone would feel the frost in their hearts grow as the giant came closer and closer as it exited out of the treelines, exuding an aura so cold that nearby rocks turned brittle and shattered in a 20 foot radius.One of the wolves would move to flank the rear of the group seeing how they had dedicated so hard forward.A wolf chomped down on Nagato, Icy fangs so cold they prevented any regeneration as the wounds were crystalized and the cells frozen.Monta would see a snarl under the breath of the ice giant as it moved towards him, something all too recognizable even in the twisted form of the giant. Hate, anger, a lust for vengeance even? It seemed to know Monta by the way it charged forwards with grim determination, maybe a memory of the massacre of the other day of its fellow comrades?
@Crafter/Flower/Illya/Dad/OniRoaring with unbridled fury the Commander moved forward to pummel Monta in a hailstorm of ice and steel.It roared in annoyance as the bullets of Lupus bounced.With a responding roar of fury the Giant temporarily distracted pummeled Yasuke with its axe.The giant fell backwards as Monta's blows utterly reduced it to a pile of smoking flesh.The battle was over.Monta could tell from the arm that nothing short but magic or something really warm really fast could thaw it out without risking more damage.
@Crafter/Flower/Illya/Dad/Oni28
Damage: 3d8 (1, 5, 6) [magical fire] = 12
"Sir," one of the warriors came up, "Are you...""Thirteen. Mixture of wolves that flanked behind us and the javelin shots." Through the communications, an image of Da Vinci appears.
"Heading out to look for resources?"
@Game Ping 1
"While you're on the way, try and find some more of those Demonic Beasts," she says.
"And don't take too long. Another team just defeated two enemy Servants, but the director still isn't too happy with how much progress has been made. In fact, every time she looks over my shoulder I feel a shiver run down my spine..~"
"Thirty-six died during your battle. There can't be many more of them left. Hmm, it's probably a similar situation like the tribe."
"I'll let you know if there's any hostiles nearby, but since you've become more experienced with this area, I hope it's all right if I don't hold your hand the entire way through."
The pegasus Hermes gave Veronica turns away from her when she goes to mount it, then goes next to Muaramasa and stays by his side.The pegasus nuzzles the side of Muramasa's face when he pets it.Even though Hermes gave this pegasus for Veronica to bond with, it's acting very fickle and just keeps letting Muramasa dote on it.After Muramasa talks to it and Francis pets it a bit too, she gives Vee another chance to ride it.The world sure are beautiful looking back in the past.
She thought to herself, halfly listening to the conversation going around, her brilliant red eyes occasionally looking over to the Pegasus in the meanwhile.The boar's eyes fill with red and it opens it's maw, sending out a wave of dark fog towards him.
@[11]Arran [5]Skye
The other boar follows quickly, covering Hana in the same dark fog that enveloped Muramasa.The boar rushes the Pegasus, sinking its tusk into it."Be more careful Veronica," Da Vinci says in a motherly tone. "You can't treat a Divine Beast so recklessly."26
The two Romans standing guard are both armed with a spear in hand and more spears on their backs."Please don't attack them yet, I want to talk to them."As you wish, Master, but the moment they move to hurt you I will tan their hides."Who goes there?"
Because of the earpiece, Veronica and Muramasa can understand them clearly.
"You're those..."
@Vormal/Asstolfo/Morban/Sword/Cat @[11]Arran [5]Skye (edited)"What do you want from us?"
The guard that's talking to her sighs. He's a dark-haired young man but from what is visible under his helmet, he looks very tired.
"We already lost."The boar we just slaughtered, perhaps, Vee?"One of them, at least.""Both? What other tribe is there?"
The guards both turn around and look at the bushes. "Did you hear that too?""W-woah."
The younger guard moves back a bit, almost bumping into Veronica.
"Where did.."The other guard raises his spears towards the two Servants.
"We don't have to fight you either, but we'll defend ourselves if we have to."14 "Y-Yeah. I'm not fighting these guys," the dark-haired soldier says.
The older one lowers his spear hesitantly, looking between the sandwich of the two Servants and the others.
"Fine. Now what do you really want?" He asks.
@Vormal/Asstolfo/Morban/Sword/CatWhen they hear that, both of their tension goes away.
"Our leader is dead," the older one says. "Remus warned us he'd fall against you, but.."
The younger one clicks his tongue.
"There's nothing we can do anymore. We were already doomed before he came and now only more of us are dead. Do you really think we'd still try to fight those barbarians with that freak of a woman leading them?""Gaius and Quintus died to the giants long ago," the older one says. "There's only five of us left now anyways. What's a commander supposed to do without an army?"
@Vormal/Asstolfo/Morban/Sword/Cat"You would do that for us?"
The dark-haired one shifts his helmet up a bit so he can get a better look at the group.They both look at each other and then..
"..alright."
"Should we get the others, or..?""It's right down there," the older one says, pointing to a small pathway a bit ahead and then going left.They lead you to the camp which is a set of fourteen now empty tents.
In the center of the camp is a bonfire where two others are sitting around and one is lying down next to, his leg is bandaged and he seems to be asleep.
It's becoming early evening by now and the sun is disappearing. If everyone is fast, getting them back would probably work before it becomes dark outside.
The two sitting notice the group's approach.
"Eh--"
They seem very overwhelmed by the presence of allies of the tribe."That one needs help," the dark haired soldier says about the one lying with the bandaged leg.
"The rest of us are still fit!"The sleeping soldier opens one of his eyes.
"Huh.."
He panics a bit when he sees everyone, but he's too feverish to react strongly.
@TheInsanityThatLiesOutside A sea of marshland and oozing poisonous swamp in front of all of you. Mist fumes like the smoke of a charcoal fire, and just as thick as well. You see a lone man standing at the edge of it with a massive broadsword slung around his back, protecting his one conceptual weakspot.
"Kama, are you ready? We will be facing a strong opponent today."
Occasionally Alex would feel an extremely slight tremble under his feet. Almost impossible to notice for anyone save his Church trained senses. It was rhythmic and coming from deep below judging by how it reverberated.
"Of course, I'm ready Master. You're safety is my top priority but I'll follow the orders you give me."
She raised an eyebrow at the small boxed Lunch from Alex. What was this a field trip?
"Thank you."The ground trembled again. This time harder then before to the point everyone could feel it.The swamp itself is as much of a bog then ever. Mists curled and smoked from dark and noisome pools. The reek of them hung stifling in the still air. Soon you were lost in a shadowy silent world, cut off from all view of the lands about. The air itself seemed black and heavy to breathe but not as bad as when the Dragon Rider was still around, still trace amounts."Are you ok master?""I feel quite sick, but I should be alright. Don't worry too much."Suddenly you could sense that the winds were changing suddenly and violently with rhythmic gusts blowing through even the thick soupy fog. The sound of the beating of something in the distance, in the sky. Those who had battled dragons before already knew that signiture sound
@StarryCleric
Peering through the fog Alex could already see a pit in the ground of the earth. The lair. And something massive was starting to rise up from the pit. A large black shape with beating wings. (edited)It continued to rise higher up the hole to the point everyone could see it. Eighty, maybe ninety feet away. It hadn't attacked yet but was ascending rapidly into the sky, now it was twenty feet off the ground.And it then stopped there, thirty feet at the edge of the hole and continued to hover there. Not doing anything but maybe occasionally twisting its head to look in a random direction. (edited)"hmm, then let's attempt that."The clanking of Peter and Lucius's armour could not be hidden. Suddenly its head jerked around as it heard the noise and it began to slowly beat its wings to move to investigate, slowly and cautiously moving towards the group now.
@Game Ping 1Seeing the sudden burst of fire and the new challenger the massive dragon moved towards it. Suddenly you heard a great rushing of wind as it let out a massive breath of acid onto it. But for now it was distracted away from the hole and you were safe to move forward.
@Game Ping 1The smell is the first thing that hits you.
A low rot. It snakes and burns its way through your nasal cavities. A lethal mixture of sulfur and ash emanates from it, so strong that even servants with weak constitutions could feel their heads swim from it. If it wasn’t for the fact that you were servants or masters who were the absolute peak of humanity, you’d either have passed out or straight up died from the odor.
A massive gaping hole stands before you in the absolute middle of an acidic wasteland. Eighty feet at the widest point of its jagged mouth. Within it is a jet-black void that seems to stretch down so deep you cannot even see the bottom. The sides are sharp and jutting, like a throat that had been lined with razor teeth.
@sumanai @Sophie, Mary, Nito, Gorgon, Boud @StarryCleric
There is an odd sound you three could hear as well, like wind passing up, whistling, and howling due to the nature of the tunnel itself.
But you could almost swear you could hear whispers on it (edited)
A triumphant roar shook the land and the sounds of distant battle had ceased.As you disappear into the black you hear the thumping of something heavy on the earth above. The dragon had returned to the post with only seconds to spare and it was none the the wiser it seemed from the lack of blind violance.The sound of the wind rushing if defeaning. You almost at once reach terminal velocity. Again and again you keep falling but it seems that the suggestion of a bottom hasn't even been reached.
You have been falling for nearly five minutes now.
@Game Ping 1~~Of course, that ||bitches hole|| is deeper than this.~~Ten minutes. That's almost nine miles deep you can estimate with a bit of math. Suddenly it felt like you hit a solid wall even if you were in mid-air, but no impact. Just kept falling. But it was a familiar sense for many of the Magus and Spellcasters in the group.
@Game Ping 1A sudden overwhelming force with burst into everyone's heads. Like an explosive migrane as you flashed back to the worst parts of your lives. But those that endured, Kama, Touko, Lucius, banished away the force fast enough with their before they were taken over. But of the others their senses were still reeling and they began to loose control of themselves in the air. The sides of the tunnel began to become razor sharp now. (edited)As her side was slashed open Klara would suddenly see the bottom of the tunnel 360 feet down.
@NoLongerdEdThe bottom was coming up rather fast now.
@Game Ping 1You’re so deep in the bowels of the earth that even the sun above seems to be nothing more than a speck. You find yourself in a great chamber, about a hundred feet in all directions you can guess but not even you can see the edges of it. Bubbling and boiling green lakes of acid litter the ground all around you, throwing out clouds of toxic smoke that burn on contact. Stalagmites and stalactites formed from the drip-off of the acid litter the cavern. If anything the ones on the roof looked particularly loose, probably as a result of Jormungandr thrashings shaking everything above and under Germany.
There are green and blue crystals dotted all around to bathe the chamber in dim light.
This entire place looks like a rock-infused grand hall of some dark palace. There is a sense of sick majesty and might. Fitting for its ruler.
You see at the far end of the hall there is a gaping entrance that looks like it had been brutally bashed into creation. Across it is a streaming acidic river wreathed in smoke so thick you can’t properly tell how wide it is.
@Game Ping 1
Looking around Touko would realize that the tunnel that she could she lead to a even larger chamber it seemed as it wound deeper into the earth. It had been brutally torn up, as if a great force was ripping it apart.Everyone could hear the sound of scrabbling rock, like tons of it were being dug at this very moment.
1A low hissing sound. But not that anyone could hear with their ears."Who... who... who dares," a low evil voice, like a dry sandy whisper in the desert. Eternally tired, eternally hateful, "who... who dares to invade and violate my home, my... my final sanctuary from the world..."
@Game Ping 1
I should make sure I don't spend a Command Seal for this.
Klara thought to herself, her hand gripping her staff tightly. 1Suddenly from the darkness and erupting from the lakes, a horde of dragons would charge forward towards chaldea.One of the dragons howled of Alex tore it apart with his blades.One of the dragons would ascend to the celling and breath a wave of acid down onto the group of Chaldeans!Flying so slow it scraped off the rough ground the dragons swept around with another blast towards the group.A massive stalagmite would crumble from the celling and fall on touko!
@sumanaiSuddenly there was a massive spore of multicoloured mushroom that sprayed everyone in the chamber.
Seeing the battle turning one of the dragons turned around and fled down the tunnel.The dragon would descend to lower its head for Kama to mount him. It was completely under her thrall.
@Thicc|Fie/Ali/Ayu/Miyu/Nag/MelThis cavern seemed to be clear now, with the only life being the remaining dragon now starting to flee down the tunnel in flight and the one seduced by Kama.
@Game Ping 1The sound of the roaring and scrabbling of rock grew louder from the tunnel entrance over the river of acid. Now more desprate and frantic.You notice most strangely that there are rocks that are floating through the stream and some have washed up on your side of the shore. Pumice this deep in the earth. The largest piece could fit up to four, the entire party maybe if you want to risk it. But the tides it seemed might be treacherous.
5The river had been crossed and now a massive winding tunnel was on the other side that had been brutally burrowed out. Spores and mushroom and other fungal growth littered it as trace of his attempt to delve deeper into the world.The hole only gets stranger and stranger. Peter thinks to himself.The tunnel awaits. Abandon all hope, those who enter.
(you can continue to RP just checking offically who enters)
@Game Ping 1
4The tunnel comes to a twist. Beyond that twist in the tunnel you can hear the scrabbling grow even louder. There is a sickly green light that is emanating from around it that even looking at it makes you feel sick to your stomachs.
@Game Ping 1Suddenly the scrabbling abruptly stopped.A massive soaring chamber, two-hundred feet wide and easily half that wide. Pools of acid bubbled and hissed. A razor celling nearly a hundred and fifty feet tall. At the very edge of it was a massive podium and landing with stairs that led up to it at the very tip. Like a grand throne room.
A throne room fitting for the very incarnation of malice and hate and evil.
Something utterly and massive and serpentine rumbled on the podium.
At the end of the podium embedded in the wall you could see that it was almost like a great door. Badly cracked and crumbling. A few more dedicated attacks. Everyone could sense simply the raw and unstoppable mana that brewed behind that sealed wall.
Flanked by it were two large fully grown black dragons. Below it were the four younger ones, though no less deadly as they hissed at the newcomers.
1
1"Alert from the command room. We just got a burst of energy readings and we can guess that Nidhogg has at least one break bar, possibly two. This will likely be our last transmission before signal is cut. Good luck Chaldea. We're counting on you."
Suddenly as if on command moss and mold would leap up and grind against the legs of those on the ground, hampering their movement.
2Exuding Mana Nidhogg would envelope Alex and Klara in a cloud of toxic spores.Suddenly from behind the tunnel the group would also hear a distant roar. There was still one more dragon left it seemed and you could guess you had maybe 12 or 18 seconds before it arrived.
@Game Ping 1The dragon under Kama's Thrall would charge forward and kill one of its fellow brothers before sinking its teeth into one of its forefathers with a thunderous roar.You would all notice Nidhogg was hovering under a rather large stalactite aimed at his back.
3Also under BD2. A lot of them have been under stalactite's the entire time.
3
2
4
3
Betrayal! Friend shook off Kama's enchantment and attacked the wounded Alex!
@Thicc|Fie/Ali/Ayu/Miyu/Nag/MelThe gate to the other world that Nidhogg had dedicated so much to breaking through, rays of green were starting to creep through and you could all feel a chill start to work its way up your spines.
@Game Ping 1Peter would sense that the gate to the Reverse Side that Nidhogg had so coveted and desired, spent the lives of so many of his children and eventually himself was nothing more then a False Gate. A fraud. A fake. Nothing more then something that had been placed and forgotten about ever since the Gods and pure myth fled the world.
Everything Nidhogg had done was for nothing. 2Just as Kama teleports at the last moment they would see one of the dragons, barely still alive rise up and limp down the tunnel, spreading its torn wings before taking flight and fleeing.
Then everyone was gone and safe at base.
@Game Ping 1
3
4
3
3 
Intruders...
Gods... Champions... Mockery!
Whomever is using all these spiders to speak is beginning to get agitated.Those that would scold us for survival... Those that forced us out of the heavens, out of our lairs, out of our homes... And then would dare intrude! They shall be brought... Slow ends.
You who intrude upon our realm!
The skittering, chittering, and clicking on the wind had become a single voice in the heads of those present, speaking in their mother tongues to them.
Why? Why do you disturb our children? Why do you slaughter us for the sake of your war vehicles, which we must feast upon?You... You will be our food first. We will feed you to the small ones. They shall take their time. Yes... Perhaps a few days... Perhaps even a month.You boast a fair deal for greedy beasts who cannot contain their hunger... Even simple animals know to hunt with restraint. Flee now and never approach any settlement again, or blame your end on your indulgences while you wait to reincarnate. Any other choice is futile.This is not greed... This is desperation! WE are all that is left... Our prey... Our food, it has left us, driven away!We must travel far to reach even a morsel... And you would punish us for trying to live.This is not greed... This is desperation! WE are all that is left... Our prey... Our food, it has left us, driven away!
NO! LIARS, INTRUDERS, IMPOSTORS! WHAT... NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
The huge spider, remaining nameless, called out to the sky as it witnessed its incoming demise... In the form of what would be a common occurrence for its kind in modern day. Crushed underfoot.
Good grief... That was close, wasn't it?
Andersen's voice rung out in Leopold's head for a moment.
Be more careful. If you reveal your hand before we get even to chapter 2 I'm going to have to switch genres to a comedy of errors.Bloody hell, I suppose I must look like a true idiot if she pisses me off, eh?
"No, thanks, I can go by myself." A roar echoed through the forest that grated on Mayfield's ears. As if a signal the wolves and spear giants rose from their hiding spots and began to slowly creep towards a small patrol of about ten men that was now winding down a path parrelel to the perimeter only some one hundred twenty feet away. Mayfield could see the silver snarls of the wolves and the evil glint of the Hunter Giants as they saw their first prey of the night.
@Ma|Resur|Anastasia|King| C
Mayfield as he would transform back to normal would spot that the wolves and gaints had taken up an ambush position on the road, covered by shubbery and trees just waiting for the patrol to walk down just a bit further down the road to their deaths.
@Ma|Resur|Anastasia|King| CThe giants would be taken by surprise by the sudden charge from behind. The wolves even looked shocked that somehow this human had avoided their scent. Even the guards on the road still hadn't noticed the commotion.
@Ma|Resur|Anastasia|King| C
Mayfield would notice that all through the forest he could hear screams and shouts of battle. Horns were being blown and then sharply silenced. This wasn't the only battle of tonight.
@Ma|Resur|Anastasia|King| C The third team saw the results of the unleashed false blade Mjölnir.
Lightning shot forth, reaching as far as the inferno that lies beyond the edges of this Singularity.
The process was as awe-inspiring as it is agonizing for its wielder, Lancelot. The act of wielding a fraction of the power held only by the Norse god of thunder shot through his nerves like electricity, almost bringing his body to the point of collapse.
Still, he stood strong. He endured it until the very end.
With a thunderous roar, the blade's lightning tore the very sky asunder, cleaving the frozen waste in two.
Giants, wolves, trees, snow, ice. Everything is destroyed. The very ground is torn through.
What was once a solid ground of snow and ice has now become a narrow ravine of bright stone. A path leading straight to the grail.
Beings from every part of this tundra are drawn to the cataclysmic release of Mjölnir.
The first team wastes no time leaving to fend off the ones on the west side of the ravine.
The second team is tasked with keeping you clear from any and all danger, intercepting any enemy that may come your way.
The time for your group to split off from the second team has come.
Rushing through the almost 200 feet deep ravine, you'll be heading straight to the grail.
The final team arrives at a staircase going a hundred feet down. The massive, eighty feet tall doors it leads to are cleaved open as a result of Mjölnir's destruction.
Because of the efforts of the other two teams who are still fighting in this very moment, you've made it this far without any difficulties.
Beyond the opening to the underground kingdom lie large halls made of bright ice stones, brimming with magical energy.
You make quick work of the giants guarding the place and come near the throne room.
There lies the last hurdle blocking your path to the grail.
The four Servants of the missing Masters.
Marie Antoinette, Leonidas I, Musashibo Benkei and Arash.
They stand in a horizontal formation. There's no light in their eyes. There's no emotions to this fight. They're nothing but weapons to be used against you.
@Game Ping 1
The team is greeted by an eerily empty throne room.
It was expected that these halls would be completely devoid of life, but there's barely any struggle to keep them from reaching here.
Instead, a female figure calmly greets them from a massively oversized throne of ice.
"I see you've cleared out the trash," she says in a calm voice.
"Is that how mankind extends greetings in your time?"
The female figure raises her chin, eyeing Tyonis with vague intentions.
"The only ones who'll surrender is you."Something about Fie is amusing to the woman.
"Aha..haha."
She reacts with surprisingly girl-ish laughter.
"I see Scathach has found someone else to call Master. You're a cute little thing."
She puts her chin on her hands.
"Has she told you about how she came crawling to me, crying and begging to let her friend live? How she wanted to be hurt so she could feel better about her own failure? That night she let you go, she didn't get a second of rest."
She shakes her head.
"Hm.. well, I suppose she's had her revenge on Vidofnir for that."
@Thicc|Fie/Ali/Ayu/Miyu/Nag/MelA wave of lethargy is coming near as your Haste reaches its end soon.
@Game Ping 1
5"How amusing."
The woman raises herself from her massive throne.
She slowly steps forward.
"I am Thrym. Yes, that's who I am now."
"That makes me your enemy, does it not?"
The colossal, headless body of a frost giant appears floating behind her, wielding a large black axe. It brings its hand to hers, letting her grip its weapon.
"I will keep the grail and hold onto this Singularity until all of humanity has turned to ash."
I did not teach him to say that]Master, I hope you are watching. Though our relationship is still uncommon, I want you to witness how far I will go to protect you and your kind. Even if you know who I am. Just like any hero in the throne, I will fight until the very end. He sends a telepathic message to his Master. He is aware she is watching. Even if quiet. This just acted as his show of devotion as a Servant.
So Peter sharpens his claws and waits for the opportunity to strike. Even if his armor has been melted and cracked open. He was a bloody mess but that did not stop him. As he said, he will fight to ensure victory and restoration.
)
Master, I hope you are watching. Though our relationship is still uncommon, I want you to witness how far I will go to protect you and your kind. Even if you know who I am. Just like any hero in the throne, I will fight until the very end. He sends a telepathic message to his Master. He is aware she is watching. Even if quiet. This just acted as his show of devotion as a Servant. So Peter sharpens his claws and waits for the opportunity to strike. Even if his armor has been melted and cracked open. He was a bloody mess but that did not stop him. As he said, he will fight to ensure victory and restoration.
Thank you, Master. That is all I needed to hear. Peter, while already right by Thrym, starts attacking her. Landing several strikes with swiftness and precision. But he wasn't satisfied with just his sword. He claws got involved and he uses them to tear his enemy up. This helped weakened Chaldea's foe by a lot. But Peter wasn't satisfied. He will only be satisfied when the fight is finally over. Just like her, Peter's wounds were visible. All done for the sake of Humanity's survival.
The Rayshift goes surprisingly smoothly for this group. It seems far more refined than usual, as the sense of vertigo is long gone, and none of the Masters have to experience falling from an obscenely tall height. Instead, they Rayshift firmly on the ground, within a small circle lined with Latin phrases. They are in a church of some kind and standing in front of the alter is a nun with piercing, yellow eyes.
1
1
One of the most treasured holy relics of the Church, left behind by the Virgin Mary when she ascended to Heaven. The Holy Girdle of the Virgin Mary carries the Holy Virgin's selfless spirit and denies any and all who succumb to earthly desires. Against someone like Kiara Kisshounen or other Demons, it's power is absolute.
As a Conceptual Weapon, it takes the form of a scabbard. An impure being who touches it is smitten to nothingness. Upon activation, it casts a brilliant light that envelops all. There is no judgement made from this light, but when one witnesses it, they can't help but destroy themselves from the realization of their own sinfulness.
In order to transport this sacred relic without the carrier's self-destruction, six maidens are chosen to take on a lifetime vow of chastity and create the glass case the Sacra Cintola is held in.
Only Saints may qualify to wield this holy relic."Ruler, I need you to come to my location, we have a mission that requires you specifically."said Ciel telepathically to Jeanne
@Crafter/Flower/Illya/Dad/Oni 
"It seems we're moving to the defense line, Avenger.""Caster, setup your teleportation circle here. We will need it in the future." said Ciel as she spoke telepathically to Caster.
@Cherry | Shuten Dₒᵤⱼᵢ That would probably wise.. Still can't believe they would even allow that good work
Gil would enter the building and start setting up a teleportation circle, but before he does that he gives ciel an orb, a magic orb of sending.
Go ask the other team their condition, I have not seen that blue haired mongrel... asteria was it? she is probably in the second team3 ◉〇〇
5 ◉◉〇 Excellent idea Caster. Do you know if they have anyone their that can also build a teleport circle? If they set one up, we can then quickly start moving to their location and them to us." said Ciel as she nodded in approval to Gilgamesh.
"Alex, Chris, the three of us should start working on making some black keys. Other members of our team will need them if they want to cast their spells. Other members who are not part of the Church, you should also help out with this. While you cannot make them, you can help with their construction. I am not telling you to do this but just suggesting it."...I do not know that..
Gil is focusing on the circle, evident of the short answer. It seems he has trusted your judgement a little bit more.But you can send a message and if they can respond, we can find out.
Ciel then turned to face the others. Her focus would then be on Chris.
"I would say our chances are very bad at the moment. The Church is made to fight these kinds of situations and if they are on the backfoot then that is not a good sign. But yes, finding the grail is our primary objective. If we get the grail then the mission is a success." Into Calais, Chaldea begins from their current base of operation at the south east side, where they could be immediately sent out to three directions of where Enniash was placed. For this event, Asteria Caelestis chooses to assemble a small group whom would want to come with her to help people in the city without any particular purpose. The Brigade has no interest with civilians other than keeping their authorities align, but at least, they gave directions that most civilians are living by the homes at the center of the french city.
"They would soon travel towards the main area, where the people of the city are gathered. As they walk, they'd notice that plenty parts of the city would be absent as if abandoned. Some places actually have marks of battles and more. But the further they get, the less these marks could be seen. Nevertheless, the quiet remained quite clear.
For Muramasa, he'd naturally notice an Assassin Class Servant following them and watching their every move, as if at the same time not attempting to hide themself, but at the same time, Muramasa only knows they are there and do not know their absolute location.
Soon enough, the site where the people are would be in sight. But while you were heading there, by the alleys of the to the side of you, all of you would hear some 'screams'. One of that a girl, while the other one was a hushed scream of an adult man.
As they'd follow and went into the alleyway, they'd all see a french man, desperately pulling away from a single girl, forcing him away from her in which the girl was not letting go of him at all. The girl was speaking in Japanese, and from Chaldea's perspective, they seem to be talking normally because of your translators.
"Sir! You're not allowed to go! Follow instructions!"
She'd say while the man would be saying.
"Brat! Get off me! I'll shoot you if you don't! I said get off me!"
But as he was able to finally get the girl away from him, he'd notice Chaldea... and sweat began to fell from his face. Quickly, he'd grab the girl and held by her neck and placed a gun on the side of her head.
"D-don't come any closer!""G-get back. I said get back. I need to go out there, and I don't care what's out there! Y-you just go somewhere else and don't tell anyone! O-or I'll shoot!"
The man would reply to idol despite her attempt to calm him down. It would seem it seems to be affecting him as his grip lessened but he strongly held the girl, causing the girl to groan as she struggled to get out of his hand.The man would then be paralyzed all of the sudden, stiffening up his entire body. He'd then looked at Chaldea with his confused sight, although not a single part of his body can move. And thus, the black haired girl, would slip from his grasp and ran behind Akiha, almost afraid.
"T-that was dangerous."
She'd say.
Muramasa, Assassin was watching. Closely.The Japanese girl would hold Akiha and shook her head. She continued to speak in Japanese. Upon closer inspection, her aesthetics and how she looks physically, it looks like she is a complete carbon copy of Akiha, with her blue eyes, and long black hair.
"I called my dad and my guardian. They'll be here soon to get this guy!"Soon enough, the two individuals would almost pass by the alleyway, but the girl would call out to them.
"Papa! Mr.! Over here!"
She'd wave to the both of them, and they'd come in with a look of both surprise at Chaldea and the paralyzed man. One of the males would be wearing glasses, with his other eye covered with his hair, as if attempting to hide it. He had black hair, and blue eyes, similar to the girls. He was also missing an arm.
"Mana!"
He'd approach the girl, whose name seems to be Mana. His words were Japanese too. He'd hug her worriedly, and patted her head before gently tugging her closer to the younger looking guy with light grayed colored hair. He would begin to scold Mana. His right eye seems to be blind.
"You idiot! Why did you run off on your own? And don't just use Miss Touko's special emergency phone to call us you dolt!"The man who seemed to be the older one, the black haired Japanese, who was missing an arm would look at Akiha and Chaldea and speak english.
"Thank you. I'm sorry for the trouble. It would seem this man was trying to get out of the city to go find his family and has been causing trouble for everyone."
2"Mitsuru, can you take this man back into the refugees? And tell the guards what happened. Mana, come and thank them."
He'd say as he waved to Mana. The young girl, who seemed to be around the age of 10 would then move in front of her father and bowed elegantly to Chaldeans. She spoke in Japanese.
"Thank you for helping me."
Smiling at Akiha gently, before she clung to her father again.
Meanwhile, the said other guy scratched his head and approached the paralyzed man.
"What the hell happened to this guy? AND HE'S CARRYING A GUN!"
He's ranting in Japanese."That's now how it works..."
He'd say as he looks at them... But then he tilted his head towards them and before he could be the one to ask, the girl, Mana would tilt her head too.
"Hmn? Are all of you Japanese?""Ah! Like the blacksmith! Awesome!"
She'd clap her hands happily."But miss pretty blue hair doesn't look like Japanese at all, and you guys speak fluent French too wow! But miss pretty black hair totally looks like a Japanese beauty, right Papa?"
The man could only smile. On the otherhand, the young man named Mitsuru finally picked up the man and his gun with a sigh.
"Well then, I'm going."
Mana would then wave at Mitsuru. As they began to leave, the father would ask.
"Are you guys hungry?""Hahaha. I am Ryougi Mikiya, a pleasure to meet you." He'd raise his only hand towards them as a sign of handshake. "Me and family went to Paris to get some vacation, but this unfortunate event seemed to get out of hand. What about you?""You were in Paris?" He'd ask with a gentle smile.Mikiya and Mana looked at each other at their statement, before they smiled wryly. "I see. I'm surprised you guys survived that long. It must have been a hard journey, for you to reach Calais from Paris."
He'd ask as he began leading them."I'm surprised. There had been no survivors from Paris other than us."
He'd let out a gentle chuckle
"I'm glad then. The forest is quite a meddlesome place."
Mana would then continue his story as her own.
"Papa lost his arm there.""Hahah, no no. It isn't a big deal. I still have my other one."
He'd said as if it was no problem at all. Then both he and Mana would then stop in surprise.
"Tohno?" "Tohno!?"
With Mana exclaiming in surprise. Mikiya would then scratch his cheeks with surprise.
"I see... Well... I suppose I won't be surprised if all of you were part of the Tohno Clan. What a chance encounter."
He'd smile.
"Come with us, this is an even more reason to invite you to our current place.""There's no need to worry. We're here on a vacation. But since the familiar name, allow me to be honest."
Mikiya said, still with a gentle and unassuming smile.
"I don't think any of you came from Paris."
He'd then turn around and began to lead them once more.
"We can offer you information. As much as the Ryougi isn't really that active in the organization anymore, I believe the mutual relationship still stands." (edited)"Hahah."
Mana would be watching the group with further curiousity as they continued to be led. She clung to her Papa as her eyes continued to watch them. This expression would then turn into a smile.
The rest of would follow. As for Leopold and Muramasa, they have their own ideas.
@Game Ping 1 The squad was on the move, coming up on a camp about a mile off of the city of Milan which sat right on the border of the barrier. As they got closer and closer to the city it was quite a bit colder than when they set off from Rome... It was quite strange honestly... Furthermore, the skies were dreary and it wasn't exactly looking friendly... It was the front of an ongoing war after all.
Regardless of that as they pulled up to the encampment, it was quite the small one consisting of mostly Church members of varying groups among the Church, from a few from the Chivalric Order, Executioners, and Priests...
Keep in mind this is still within the barrier's borders, though it is very close to the edge as it sits right at the base of the mountains which signify the borders.
It could be noted there was a lack of NATO personal, at least not ones dressed in an attire outside of Church garbs... Granted there was some equipment marked by NATO... One of the Church members, a young man with scruffly black hair comes up to the group and looks them all up and down for a moment. He was looking a bit on the tired side and it was clear by looking around that they had gone through some shit and a half in the city...
"I'm guessing you all are the reinforcements we've been asking for? Maybe the operatives who were supposed to show up a while ago to help take back the city?"The man rubs his temples with his thumbs before patting his cheeks. Once he finally lowers his hands to his sides he speaks once more.
"Forgive me... It has been quite the mission dealing with Milan... We haven't gotten reinforcements since they've been preoccupied... Those of NATO are only just getting better established here... Anyways, Entering the city is fine, but there's this consistent uncomfortable feeling that you just cant shake off... It's also horribly chilly as well and there isn't anywhere good to rest. Though while it is an annoyance it's not the most troublesome part. When it comes to the night, things come out and hunt you down... The last team that went in, only one made it out... We have no clue what "it" could be, for all we know its a hallucination. But you need to be careful in there..."”Whatever it ends up being deal with it… It would be nice to have it be a done deal before the operatives arrive… Here, these guys will be going with you all to help out where they can… Unless you would rather they not join?”
He gestured to a group of 6 different men and women. 2 knights, 2 executioners, 2 exorcists… None looking all that experienced, more so like those who’ve gone on no more than half a dozen missions…* ”They chose to come and help with whatever they can. As much as I’d rather not send them, they wish to prove their use… If you do let them come with you, protect them well… I beg that of you…”
"So you all are fine with them coming with you? You all seem to have very different perspectives on this topic...""Then the best of luck to you all, and do be sure to not stay within the city boundaries after dark... We don't exactly have anything else we're able to give you besides this bit of manpower to help. At least we won't until the operatives come, whenever they will."
He nods to the Chaldeans before walking over to the group who he had gestured to just before. Saying a few words to them before returning with all 6 of them. Each of the 6 having their own silent expressions of being ready from being Asteria levels of cheerful, to slightly nervous.The Executor from earlier gives the group a small bow and says a prayer for their safety.
"Do be sure to all come back alive and in one piece... I must go off and manage other things right now."
One of the exorcists steps up, a smaller lady amongst them. She gives them a wave before speaking,
"What would you need of us?"
"That is acceptable, but would not we be more help contributing to the frontlines as some of us are built for that?"
The sister clearly hadn't been in a super dangerous mission yet, her confidence in God keeping them alive was overflowing right now."If you are so worried about it, I as well as my partners will focus more on ranged support. Those of my group who engage in melee can remain in the middle in the event somehow they get past you all? If that is more acceptable for you?"As the 11 of you move out and to the city, it was but a short walk away. Maybe a mile off the entrance to the city tops. Upon arrival the whole city was abandoned, fair few windows broken and smashed in, many doors just gone. Strangely there were no corpses visible on the streets nor was there even the slightest indication of people... It was almost strangely aesthetic how devoid of life the city was, almost like a scene out of a video game. Sadly it lacked any significant plant growth to really emphasize the ruined city vibe.
Regardless of that, it was horribly chilly... Whilst the servant wouldn't be all that affected by it, the masters(if they weren't wearing the artic clothes) and the 6 Church members could really feel it...
As Tachibana investigates, they find traces which seem to indicate that the people had left recently, at least within the last few weeks... Furthermore they'd find the occasional tracks left in dirt or similar of movement, but quite the erratic one a drunk person's walking...
As for Sanson his detection encountered quite the number of undead from all around them though not yet approaching them. Many of them in buildings, on a plethora of floors... As for a count, waaaaaay to many to deal with all at once. Granted this was also 6 miles radius of them so of course it would show off a significant amount.As Kintoki looked around he’d notice a distinct lack of wildlife, but when it came to the presence of tracks there were some here and there, a bit hidden at times as the ground was bit harder due to the cold, but still there… Occasionally some animal tracks would just stop, though they stopped by weird looking prints…
As for Kamita, much of what he noticed was there was a heavy air of energy, radiating from all around them. Between the massive barrier up the mountain which was quite distracting, there were many faint trails of mana, though it got quite confusing as each overlapped with others, and made quite the odd movements… But the point is, there’s a LOT of trails…They’re in the middle of of the city, any building would give quite the height to scout out. Though most of them aren’t exactly scalable from the outside. Luckily most of the doors are in some way or shape, removed, and most windows were broken, so walking up the stairs would most likely work. (edited)All 6 churchies were moving pretty close together, each of them being pretty green so a city they were familiar with in such a condition was extremely unnerving…Well Tachibana was sent flying, but they had a really nice arch as they went up and landed on the top of one of the buildings. As they looked around the rest of the city was in a similar condition to where they were at the moment... Though despite it being broken down, there was a hint of its former beauty there.As Tachibana looked about, there was nearly no movement... Strangely none of the undead that was mentioned by Sanson, nor the creators of the mana trails mentioned by Kamita, could be seen... But one thing was noticable. A distinct lack of bodies despite the rapid escape... One would imagine there would be someone who had gotten trampled or someone who died in their rooms due to the cold... But no, nothing.All the churchies came close, conversing about things mostly about bible verses to comfort themselves... (edited)The dome from Tiny hut surrounds those who remained inside, keeping them nice and toasty. But as for Kintoki's taunt, silence... He didn't even get a cricket... Though the sun was starting to set as could be told by the skies darkening rather than a visible sunset...The church members were all thoroughly unnerved as the silence was getting to them. The sister from earlier patting her fellow Exorcist on the back.
"I believe that my team agrees with me when I say it would be for the best..."Lexi, Kamita, even Sanson, Tachibana, and most of the Churchies were unable to tell what was causing the unnerving feeling... But it was an overwhelming crawling feeling, like something was watching... There was nothing... Not a bit of movement for the group... Lexi felt the worst of it, feeling an immense horrifying feeling come over here... Many of the church members feeling the same as she or worse... The rest of the party was mostly fine, but the feeling just wouldn't leave them... As they each scanned the area with their eyes... Nothing... Nothing... Nothing... Nothing!!!
Something had to be causing it but what... But as they began to move out Kintoki's eyes passed over something in a distant building... What seemed to be a child, in a top hat, with an outfit like that of a showman's... The very first sign of life since entering this horrid city... But it was swaying unnaturally... Receding into the darkness and as it moved back, the head flopped off, like that of nearly headless Nick from Harry Potter... The hat falling off and rolling for but a second before it picked it up, and fully hid itself once more... The head priestess making a sound as she had seen it too, a look of horror on her face...Don't want to scare ya more that you already are, folks, but I think I saw something. A child, or something that tried to look like a child. I think it must be following us. Be ready.
Children are meant to be protected... That fact that their enemy might have the face of one... was unforgivable in his eyes.The church members giving a silent nod, those of them unaffected by the feeling helping those who were…
“Yes, let us hurry… I am starting to see we were to overconfident…”
The churchies are ready to move out in formation with the others... That unnerving feeling not leaving as they made their escape... The darkness setting in a dimming light surrounding them... Tap... Tap... Tap... Only the clacking of their shoes on the concrete could be heard... That child was nowhere to be seen... (edited)As they walk around a small sound could be heard, most likely that of a rat or mouse scampering around… The sound ringing out from one of the nearby dark buildings. The sun continued to work its way down lower and lower… It kept moving unlike the rat which just stopped… The sound no longer able to be heard for whatever reason.* (edited)It did take them notably longer to get back from where they entered, though those who faced the effects of being frightened slowed the group down by a fair margins. It also didn’t help that in the face of fear, once’s perception of time slows to a degree… Either way, after but a few more minutes they made it out of the city, and away a decent distance. Just in time too as the sun was beginning to slowly fall below the mountains…As the group set up camp, in visible sight of the city though around 200 ft away from its boarders a familiar skin tingling feeling returned... The feeling as if they were being watched by something or someone... But save that, there was no interference with setting up camp... The faint sounds of insects surrounded the group as the area was a bit more lively than in the city... (edited)As Sanson expanded his senses the forces of evil he felt earlier within the city had moved... Many of them standing at the border of the city where they were but none dared leave the boundaries...As the eye patrolled around the churchies we’re getting settled in. The more experienced of the 6 quietly calming the less experienced of the 6. Afterwards Ms Nun from earlier speaks up a bit.*
“I worry for that small child… Oh what horrors they must have had to face…” (edited)”I know not what that child is, but that form was disheartening to say the least… May the souls disturbed by this incident be taken by our lord and sent to a better place…”
*She prayed for the lives affected by all of this, gripping the rosary around her neck tightly.
As for what Tachibana saw whilst using the eye to explore. Zombies, well… Various types of zombie type beings each in clothings remnant of those you would find in the city… Civilians, law enforcement, fire fighters, etc… That little child zombie was nowhere to be found though.Do note they’re all staring in the direction of the group.Everything was uneventful as the night passed… Though the arcane eye was gone with long ago so the position of the undead are questionable at best… It soon grew to be morning as the sun peeked over the mountain top… What’s next squad~?The other six were ready to depart whenever, the churchie squad leader(nun-san) was helping, along with one of the knights who was a complete pretty boyo. Then whenever the squad was ready to set out, it was off to the city!!! Wooo!!! To a very silent very scary city...Nun-San: "I have no qualms with such a plan, and my squad will follow me. I can only guess what forces may be at play in the city.... Though the Lord shall guide us through such problems to a future where we are able to be better people and protect the innocents."
Nun-san is currently just doing some praying while walking. (edited)As the group traversed the city, it was in a similar condition as yesterday... There was no sentient life to be seen anywhere save for each other... The streets were quiet like yesterday...As Tachibana deploys the eye and searches around, it was noted there was a scarcity of the undead... Unlike last night's search there were no undead for the first few rooms then upon searching the fifth of a nearby building they found a body curled up in the corner rocking back and forth. The jaw hinging open and closed as if singing a song which couldn't be heard with the eye. Within another few rooms search was 1 other undead creature, dancing about like a ballerina though both arms were quite obviously dislocated as they flopped around like dead fish... The point being that the undead were spread out more at this point in time and were doing graphic, grotesque, or even down right stomach churning actions.Nun-san:"How disturbing... Morality and order certainly do not seem to be on a list of priorities for getting their dastardly plans accomplished..."As Kamita took the time to observe the city and the group wandered around, a fair bit of time passed before they found some noteworthy locations. It was most likely 9 am or so, or 3ish hours since their initial departure from camp. They found themselves in the heart of the city with 6 distinct locations to choose from... Each of them seemingly massive. The Royal Palace, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Basilica di Sant'Ambrogio, Basilica San Lorenzo Maggiore, Santa Maria delle Grazie, Sforzesco Castle, and Pinacoteca di Brera... Each of them not exactly in sight of each other, but they did peek over the tops of other buildings at one point or another and stood out quite a bit.Between the 6 areas there was one thing in common. A shit ton of undead camped out in each one... None were heavier than the others, but hey now you know where a fair few of them probably made there way to? There was no clear indication of which one was the right one. Though the Castle, Royal Palace, had the most, whilst the location with the least was the Duomo di Milano right next door to the Royal Palace. Which created this strange line of, oh yeah little to none here, and a lot riiiight next to it. Kind of like water and oil.Nun:”I know not your capabilities but I shall put my faith in them as our superior has.”As Sanson sneaks inside he skillfully maneuvers himself in ways to avoid each and every zombie. Despite the palace honestly being infested with the undead beings. There were zombies of all sorts, old ones, young ones, new ones, worn out ones… By the gods it was depressing… In other parts of Italy where the masses had retreated to were sure to have been missing some family… There were children here, bite marks littering their bodies, some with an eye annihilated with dried blood flowing from their eyes. Time was ticking down, but his investigation turned up to be nothing but a depressing scene. Oh wait, there was one thing. It was zombie kid from the previous day, set up in a small showman’s outfit. A small child no more than 7 years old. With as grotesque of an appearance as one would expect with what Kintoki and the Nun had seen… Past that though, truly nothing of note… Unfortunately, time was ticking down, the investigation had taken a long time and a few more hours had passed. It was just past mid day now… Perhaps it was in the nearby cathedral(Duamo) or the Castle on the hill.
2As Sanson was making his way back, he'd notice that the rooms began to become more and more free of zombies. Contrary to what it was earlier when he passed by and they were filled up... Then out of no where from a blind spot he was attacked!!!!Oh no Sanson's connection is feeling weak!!!Well he got a glimpse of it while he was keeling over, but only a pair of red eyes and wispy shadows
-l <level> to cast at a different level, !g lr to take a long rest, or -i to ignore spell slots!4 〇〇
5 〇 It was strange, as Tachibana used the eye to search around whatever attacked Sanson was nowhere to be found... Granted they were searching only a portion of the palace so for all they coulda known whatever it was moved itself elsewhere... But hey they did find out one thing, where Sanson was attacked there were a lot of shadowy wisp things.Nun-san:"Perhaps we could attempt the recapture of the cathedral just by here, if we fortify it, it may serve us well as a safe area within the city... He did say that the cathedral was scarce in undead yes?"Besides the wispies though, there was nothing to be found in the Palace as far as Tachibana could tell.It was quite the simple walk out, the group now knowing the best way to get to and from the heart of the city to where they were based up last night. The whole trip taking a few hours, and by the time they made it back the sun was once again cresting the mountain... A second day was turning to their second night...Whenever the squad was done with planning, it was time for a break. The group set up for the night which ended up being extremely uneventful outside of the city. Eventually dawn broke, it was 6:00 am or so in the morning locally... So what's the plan squad~?-l <level> to cast at a different level, !g lr to take a long rest, or -i to ignore spell slots!4 〇〇 4 ◉〇 It would take the group a good 2-3 hours to get to the place which was honestly one hell of a run. Anyways, as Tachibana deploys the eye and has it float around the boundaries of the cathedral, they'd notice that the entrances were mainly geared to the front one though there were ways in at the top as well as two single door smaller entrances around both sides.Shy Boi Exorcist:"E-ermm... Th-there's a few doors up top... It is quite common for tourists to take a trip up there..." (edited)
All the churchies are nodding in agreement. Even if it's turned into a tourist spot primarily, it's still a cathedral and a place for worship.
Kamita, Tachibana, and Kintoki(carrying Lexi after she failed) made it up quite easily, meanwhile most of the churchies failed in climbing up and the one church knight who did do well made his way back down to stick with his squad. Sanson also didn't do to hot on the climb... But as he expanded his senses, the information was similar to what he got last time. Though for the cathedral specifically it was a mere handful of creatures, only a dozen of them.The formation down at the bottom consisted of the two knights in the front, and the the executioners on either side of the priests who remained centered. As for Sanson, anywhere was fine for him…* (edited)The knights open up the main door and inside, said dozen of zombies!!! Oh no, oh shit ew is that a worm coming out of one of them?And so the last of the undead falls over truly dead… Now there’s a really really large open cathedral…
Nun-san:”I guess my group shall get to work on cleansing this cathedral and returning it to its former glory… Once we are done it should protect us from any incoming undead as long as we remain on its grounds.”Nun-san:”That is alright with me.”
And whilst Sanson is treating the injured. The uninjured will start setting up for a large sanctuary type thing surrounding the whole Cathedral. The healed would go help out too after! (edited)The whole process would take quite a long time but with Kamita's help the time was significantly shorter. Where it would have taken them till 6 to dusk, it was now only 4 or so. The land was feeling pretty holy right about now!! Woo!!!
Nun-san:"Lovely work everyone!"Nun-San:”Well in the vault there should be one of the Holy Nails which were among the Cross…”Nun:"Do wait here whilst I go retrieve it."
Off Nun san goes for a small bit whilst the DM prepares shit.Eventually Nun-San returns to the group alongside a very tired priest.
Priesty:”Ah… Such powerful looking people… Perhaps you will be able to reclaim this city which was taken over when at its weakest…”
Priesty:"I am the one who oversees monitoring of the Holy Nail and the Holy Bridle..."Priest:"I have... The others, they were caught whilst outside the walls of the cathedral... As for other notable places... Well the castle is one... I believe there is something sinister going on there... As for other locations, there are none..."Priesty:"It been quite some time... I fear they are either no longer alive or they are low on supplies...""They had only gone out to retrieve more supplies after communications had been cut... They should not have gone all that far..."The priest gives a quiet nod before letting out a small cough and sitting down. The shy boi priest who had come with the gang going over to help the old man alongside the sister.And the maps are as pinned in the combat init channel! Very google maps equesWhenever everyone was ready to rest, that would happen and it ended up being extremely peaceful. It was pleasant even, a roof over their head, and no worries about undead. When the sun crested the mountains it was about 6 am!!All the churchies were up and about, making sure everything was a okay with the cathedral!The trip was a very short one only a few minutes long before they arrived. It's a nice pleasant theatre!4 ◉〇 As the group proceeded to the theatre and sent the eye in, it took quite a long time for all the eye to cover the entire area. It was maybe an hour before Tachibana could manage it all. Inside though was a few zombies, no more than 1 and a half dozen within the whole area. Though notably there was one in the garbs of a nun which was missing its lower half and crawling around, the clothing at its fronts torn from all the dragging around.As the group sneaks about, they slowly move about investigating the area. There really isn't anything particularly interesting besides the collection of zombies... And the busted up nun zombie.Lexi could feel that this location wasn’t wherever the thing controlling the undead was. It at the same time she couldn’t pinpoint where it could be.Its still bout 7:30 in the morning so you guys have like all day to do as you please.As the group converses, Tachibana, Kintoki, and Lexi were left wholly unaware of what was happening around them in the dim light and dark areas of the theatre… Soon though Kamita felt a single eerie presence whilst Sanson felt something familiar. The presence of the shadowy beings, and at least 4 of them! It seemed one of them noticed Tachibana as well!!!!There are zombie noises around the theatre, so everyone knows zombies are there ofc as was monitored earlier. But they're just not in the main hall rnThere's a lot of angry zombies flooding in as you finish of the last shadowAs you all leave you find it had been a notable amount of time since the fight had started. About an hour, it was still morning though... It's around 9 Am!!As for where the zombies came from when yall were inside when you only saw a few upon entering... They came from zombie daycare and the zombie stork.
2
1Zombie daycare, where all baby zombies are left to feed on the hearts dreams and souls of children.or the zombie stork where all zombies come from
Yall make your way back to the church to recoup for the day!!So yall are back at the church to do some planning, what's next squad~?At first glance there wasn’t anything different than the last time Sanson had checked. But upon closer inspection there was something strange about the castle. Underneath the castle fair few undead ordered in a 3 circle formation where in the circles formed a triangle. Then in the middle of the 3 circles stood one singular output…The underground group of undead is notably removed from any other undead.Its directly under the castle part of the castle grounds. Probably some secret tunnel or some shit from a bygone era.*Yall get your nice rest in, and soon it’s 3 or so. Afterwards the group departs from the cathedral to the castle. It was a light jog taking a third of the hour and soon y’all are standing right out front of the castle.
Nun-san:”I truly hope everyone is prepared…” (edited)4 ◉〇 After manipulating the eye through a fair few zombies, Tachibana discovers a biiiiig ass hole in a wall which leads down down down! Upon a continued inspection it lead to a ritual site similar to what Sanson described earlier. Three circles of zombies, with the circles shaped like a triangle. A lone man? Woman? In the center of it all managing a ritualistic circle. (edited)This process took a while though, about 30-40 minutes so it’s about 4 pm now… You have around 2-3 hours of light left! (edited)The group sneaky sneaks really fucking well with Sanson's guidance. Making it past zombie after zombie which mostly stood in various rooms. After a while the group arrives at the hole and descends the hole... It took a notable amount of time to get down there but hey yall made half way down the hole. The entrance to the ritual chamber was about 200 meters or so...So for all yall who have dark vision you can see silhouettes of arms sticking out of the ground from the circle!!! Things are in dim light for yall with dark vision. For those who don't have dark vision it's dark dark...Well Kamita cant tell jack shit about the ritual but it really ain't anything great...It was still a bit difficult for Kamita to ascertain the exact details of the ritual but it certainly has something to do with the undead and the layline. Specifically siphoning some energy from it in order to do something greater than what could normally be achieved.As the dead apostle dies from the black keys it screeches out in pain and agony, fading away slowly. A slight rumbling feeling could be felt... That's concerning...As the group is fighting more zombies fall, for some reason a collective of them just keel over? And what's not great, the ritual site is sparking not so great...
@Game Ping 1
Depends on how deeply you wanna look into it.As Tachibana investigates, they'd figure out that the ritual was set to explode... As for the size of the explosion, well it was big enough where in they needed to get to the outer walls of the room asap. They had less than half a minute to haul ass... Looks like the DA really didn't want anyone getting their research.All the zombies besides the ones on the churchies and on Tachibana:Angry mraaaawring noises as they look towards KintokiThe ritual site is at critical mass and is about to blow!!!After reaching critical mass the ritual site detonates, flashing a bright light and making the area rumble. Shooting out debris and what not everywhere. There were even a few human limbs that flew about... Everyone make a dex save dc 20...
@Game Ping 1Well everyone survived the blast. Some way more hurt than others… What’s next squad?One of the Knights is still knocked out by the way. There’s also 1 remaining zombie!!!The last half dead zombie growlsThe zombie falls over, finally the last of them in the room were dead.Said investigation would take a little bit but at the southern end of the room was a hole… One you’d need to crawl through. Honest to god it looked like that hole from ‘The Descent’.It would be a tight fit for some of the group but they could squeeze on through probably. But what awaited them was just a lot of twisty and windy pathway that Tachibana couldn’t see the end of. But there was an upwards curve to the cave?It would take them some time, twists and turns as they traversed the tunnels. It was horribly cramped and there was no good way to go about it... The dust could really get into your mouth and the oxygen was just a bit low. Tick... Tock... Whilst the group crawled through they'd encounter things like various little local insects and what not which squirmed on them for a bit before passing through. Ya know just typical things like the occasional little ground critter. Though eventually they slipped through to a slightly more open area. One just large enough for the group to stand in all together. The whole process taking honestly quite a while, maybe a good few hours to squeeze their way through it all...Yall are underground still, though in some sorta room. Since it's been a few hours you can surmise that it's about 6-7 pm where the sun had set. As you look around the room, there was a stone brick wall... As well as a certain funky smell...Well, it's a pretty small room. There's literally nothing in it, but hey there's a few loose stones in the stone wall that could easily be pushed out.The bricks simply fall over to reveal an old sewage path... In the distance zombies could be heard!?Well you can just hear them, shuffling around in various directions. They aren't coming after yall just yet. As for exits, there's none nearby...It would take quite a while but the group manages to sneak about past all the zombies in the sewers!!! They find a way up via a ladder leading to a manhole! But that manhole was shut so someone needed to pop it off.Well, it was quite easy for him to pop it off... Aaaaaaaand it's night... Aaaaaaand there's a lot of zombies milling about... Luckily they haven't noticed him yet since he popped off the manhole relatively quietly...Well Sanson finds out they're a noteworthy distance away from the Duamo... A good two miles off which'll be a rough run for the group... It would probs be a 15-20 minute run...There was a fair lack of zombies as you traverse the tunnels... Those you did encounter you were easily able to dodge as they didn't notice any of you all! And eventually you'd make it to the street just outside the Duamo. Or at least that's the guestimate right now. (edited)There is another manhole, will ye start climbing~?As Sanson peeked out of the hole the situation wasn't exactly pleasant... There was a LOT of zombies walking about who all didn't seem to notice him yet... And by a lot of zombies I mean a LOT of zombies... Granted this was near the heart of the city only a few miles from the castle and the palace had quite the number when they were there.Looking around you can see it from where you are, but zombies are attempting unsuccessfully at getting inside. Lucky you all made fortifications earlier.The bottle flew quite nicely away from both the church and the group. This lead to a situation where in the zombies waddled away to investigate that sound. Giving an opprotunity to the group to haul their asses over quickly. Though they only had maybe a good few seconds to just bolt for it. Luckily for them the zombies were slow so even if they did get noticed it would be a while before they come at them...Up he goes! He's up and in quite easily so what's your method of letting your allies in?The opening to the Cathedral opened up, giving the group an opportunity to rush through. Better hurry before the zombies notice you all!!The group moves on out and the zombies notice them half way through. So they all haul ass as fast as they can, barely making it inside in time to barricade the cathedral once more before the undead swarmed the place once more.And so the group rested up till day break… At the crack of dawn the Nun-San was already cleaning up!Whenever the squad was ready they’d depart back to the camp outside of Milan in order to meet up with the Executioner Commander mans. The old man priest keeping the Holy Nail in its case as he prepared to depart with everyone too! (edited)4 ◉〇 It was a safe journey back to the camp where in you could report what happened to head executioner-san.
Commander-chama: “You made it back alive!”A bitter look spreads across his face as he hears this and looks among the survivors…
Commander:”He will be remembered… We will without a doubt hold a funeral for him… Should he have any last words, I believe it would be best if those of his squad handle that matter…” (edited)And so this long ass adventure was complete. Everyone but Luca had survived… They retrieved the Holy Nail and solved the root cause of the problems in Milan. Now it’s time to make their way back to wherever they’d like. Mario De Bernardi Military Airport is a place of chaos. Several Burning and crashed planes litter the field around the airstrip itself, most having crashed from their damage just at the edge of safety or force to ditch. Soldiers are running frantically all over the place, wheeling trolleys filled with bombs and missiles haphazardly and the air is thick with shouts and the stench on petrol fumes. There was even an explosion that consumed the side of a B-52 Bomber as a gravity bomb all the way from the 1945 stockpiles went off.
Chaldea would find itself in all this chaos. They had been told that their contact was a Officer named Perceval Bureau. He had silver hair and plain blue eyes from the picture they had been given.
@Game Ping 1He was there near, pushing through the crowds of frantic mechanics trying to find his contacts as well.
He jolted around, "Oh, it's you from the debriefing with Maya." he exclaimed, "Yes I am Perceval Bureau, I've been assinged as your pilot for both transport and briefing en route.""The Archangel has left in order to escort our Nuclear-Armed Bomber Fleet hovering in high orbit over Milan." he began to walk through the crowd to lead them to a quieter part of the airfield.
"Jesus Christ, I ain't trying to rude here but you sure are... well let's say I kinda expected you to dress... well for proper modern combat but your bunch will have to do," he noted. "Yes Nuclear Armed. If Milan cannot be considered to be held longer then the operational period we will reduce the city to ash. The fallout is predicted to fall south and projected casualties in the months afterward will be in the millions. But if you guys can't do your jobs that's what we'll have to resort to in hopes of delaying him."
"With a city in this much chaos, you'll have your chance to sneak past and do some good for our trapped men im sure," he nodded at Serenity.
"I will give a fast breifing on route. We've wasted enough time." and he stopped as they arrived at a airstrip specially crafted for them.
Jutting forth with an arrow’s tip for a nose, the entire aircraft is shaped like a massive black lance with two massive engines and small wings bolted to its rear like an afterthought.
On its side had been painted the words, “In Thrust, we trust”
It’s an old aircraft with a maintenance crew desperately trying to coax it back to life. But everyone knows though elderly, this is one of the greatest creations of man in the recent age. A creation that rivaled the very Gods and destroyed the mystery of the Heavens above for humanity. A black craft whose thundering roar and blistering speed rivals even the beloved treasure of Babylon Vimana.
The SR-71 Blackbird (edited)
"With this we'll be in Milan in ten minutes rather then the days it could take via the congested roads or contested airspace.""I don't underestimate but we have to ensure even the impossible, dozens of millions of lives depend on the outcome next few hours. We can't afford to take even the slighest chance, Demon King" he began to board, "Yes. With the ladies your man in blue tighty whites brought, it'll be cramped but it'll be big enough. We had this as an experimental model to insert spies into North Korea a few decades ago."
He raised his eyebrow at Sakata, "Well it should be golden. This baby is worth twice its weight in gold. Costs more then some small countries," he smirked as he strapped himself in, "If it wasn't for the fact that so many lives are on the line, I'd be relishing taking this baby out for a spin." (edited)"Strap in, and if any of you get airsick easily," he shrugged, "Sorry to say I can't roll down the windows at these things. So make sure not to get it on my instruments or we'll go plunging back to the earth as the world's most expensive lawndart."It would be powerful enough that the leather underhere sizzled slightly and the straps became looser and clearly weaker.He made several sniffs, "You guys are wearing perfume into a warzone?""Well make sure you don't crash onto us or at least hold onto something," he began to taxi down the runway. "This is Mobius 1, calling into radio tower, ready to launch," he glanced backwards at the others, "If any of you have doubts, time to step off my aircraft." (edited)"And we are off,"
With a sudden violent jolt the plane shot forward down the burning airfield before slamming the breaks and ascending at the very edge going verticle into the upper atomsphere.
The sheer G-s of the takeoff and the violant manuvers Perceval was pulling off would have killed any humans.
Serenity would struggle to keep her footing at even as a Servant at such forces. Make a Dex save
And if Servants want to be funny they can roll a con save to not puke.
@Game Ping 122
14 Cu would feel very very sick at the sudden violant turns they were pulling.
And then the plane would level itself, "Alright we're at cruising speed. We'll be in Milan in four minutes. I trust you have all your lunch where it should stay."
He turned his chair around to face the others, turning the plane to auto-pilot. "Alright, now for the current situation but before I begin. Have any of you been to Milan before? I was aware a expedition from you guys was sent there a while ago."
@Game Ping 1"Well. Sorry to say then the Milan you know doesn't exist anymore, even if it was a shithole to begin with." he took out a map and circled the Po River, "The Forest has broken through the Nothern Bounded field and our ground forces are dealing with too wide a front on bad terrain. We need to withdraw our forces behind the river to form a proper defensive line we have a hell of hope in holding against the horde now pouring south. But we need more time to evacuate men and civilzians behind the river and the bridges are bottlenecked."
"That's why we counter-attacked Milan, the brunt of Vlad's advance in hopes of slowing them down. Five brigades sent in to stem the tide even for a few hours."
"We lost contact the moment they entered the city. Thirty thousand people went silent all at once," he snapped his fingers for effect, "Just like that."
@Game Ping 1
"That's why we need Chaldea's help to first find out what happened and two help any survivors if there are with holding the city for just a few more hours to buy us time to get enough soldiers behind the river to survive the next few days.""You know that's the strange part. There's not sighting of the Demon Lord. Not at all. Not the sligetest peep. It's like they don't even exist anymore," he frowned, "That's why we've been able to carry out air strikes and bombing campaigns like thre's no tommrow. The Commanders in Genoa were the first to send out co-ordinates and hell if we were going to miss out on a sky withouth that fucking bastard."
@ArbyOrNotToBe"You should see the stuff we have in R&D. I swear if it wasn't for the damn forest we'd have long-distance lasers mounted on aircraft that can cut a ship in two," he shook his head, "Any of the others of you have questions now?"
@Game Ping 1The man turned to Serenity and said, "انت من الشرق الاوسط?"
"Well the pictures unclear given our arial units can barely see. We know there's fighting, particularly around a place called Duamo Di Milano and the cities Royal Palace. We need a few hours. I don't know how much but we'll try to let you know when you get into contact with ground forces and we geta clearer picture."
@Game Ping 1"At its most basics: just kill anything that isn't human in that city.""Dude, hide the little man downstairs at least." (edited)He nodded, "عملت في حفظ السلام هناك. شعب لطيف. دعونا نأمل في أن نتمكن من التعافي على الأقل"
"It's going to be dangerous on the approach. Normal procedure would be to descend down to a safe altitude and parachute you guys out," he sighed, "But the moment you start to even drop down you'll be assualted by massive waves of spikes upon spikes that erupt of the ground or fly through the air. If you're a proper ace you'll stand a chance. But if you're a falling brick you won't."
"There's a reason that we chose this aircraft other then getting you people here fast. It's to get you down fast. You're Servants. You're sturdy people."
@Game Ping 1"If I drop you out in any manner you'll get speared at on the way down even if you drop like a pin. Damn spikes are too fast I reckon," he took back manual control, "Not unless you get close into to the ground in a fast enough aircraft that even the spikes can't react to. Course by the time its safe for you to jump out I can't have a hope in hell of pulling up before I become the world's fastest lawn dart." (edited)
"You know if I was going to survive, I'd ask you out on a date," he nervously chuckled as his pale hands took grip of the controls.
@Andle | Cam, Ib, Rach"Fastest fucking landing ever with the biggest contact to surface ever, wouldn't be suprised if I ended up on the other side of the earth at this speed" he told Nobu before turning to serenity, "It'll be right below the impact zone. I have my orders to put you down near the Duamo Di Milano but my maps are accurate enough I can put you guys down wherever in the city." he checked his panel, "We'll be right above Milan in a minute."
@Game Ping 1 (edited)
"Woah lady, this is the ride to hell, not the ride to bang town," he snickered, trying to make good humour. (edited)"Opening display to ground. Might as well give you guys a view of the hellhole you're heading into."
A screen in the cabin flickered on.
Plumes of smoke were belching from the burning city. Even from so high up, it could be seen massive detonations ripping through the city destroying hundreds of square meters of buildings in rippling explosions. At the Southern Edge of the city trails of rocket propellant choke out the skies as portions are entirely englufed in napalm and white phosperous.
Milan was already in a bad stage from the outbreak of the dead, but now it had almost turned into a seething opening to the gates of hell.
"T-this is Mobius 1," he couldn't hide the tremble in his voice or hands anymore, "I-i'm going in. Ain't got anyone to say goodbye to. That's why I chose this, just remember my name command, that's all I ask."
Perceval looked back with a sad look in his eyes, "Well you guys were fun while it lasted. Sorry it has to end now."
@Game Ping 1 (edited)Best to let the soldier die with honor.His eyes went wide once and then they almost became lazy as he leaned in forward maybe hoping for another one, before withdrawing. He could already feel slow at the effects of poison. "I- well if there's a way to go out,"
He flipped the visor of his helmet down.
"As a buddy of mine once said," he made one last brave grin, "Let's dive into the fireworks!"
And with that he wrenched the aircraft down at hypersonic speeds. The speed was so great that the arrow nose of the aircraft became red hot. Several records were made that day.
Spears erupted out of the ground to react, building upon themselves in an attempt to reach the rapidly descending craft but it was too fast. Several scrapped off the side.
"A bit longer, a-a-a bit lon-" he muttered.
"Jump!""Good grief, I was trying to save him but you managed to outdo me this Assassin"
"You know, you managed to outdo me on this Assassin. My last Magecraft could only save the body, you granted his soul the protection he needed for the afterlife. Cheer pilot, going to miss a buddy to share my wine" Cu delivered a goodbye wave to the pilot before manifesting a fearsome red spear and spear-dived outAs the air zipped by them spears still had a chance to launch out at them, though clearly not as much as if they had dropped at much higher.
Make a Dexteirty Saving Throw.
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24 23
14
13
30 13
A stroke of Luck saved the Golden Man from being impaled and the speed of a Demon and the deftness of a Assassin swept past them no problem. But Raikou and Cu were not so lucky as several blanced and hit them on the way down.
@Game Ping 1
Acrobatics and performance if you wish to look stylish on landing.
@Game Ping 116 15 16 22 Cu made landing on his face very stylish16 12 13 6 Acrobatics and performance if you wish to look stylish on landing.
@Game Ping 1 22 22 The Servants would all land, Sakata despite apperance made an efficient if bland ending alongside Nobu who did the same. Raikou, well lets say her method would would have turn a lot of heads. now found themselves on a ruined street with fires and corpses strewn all around.
Gunfire and exlosion echoed all around them.
16 Down the road to their west they could see a the begainings of a massive cathedral several blocks down, or five hundred feet away, but right now down the road in the same direction they managed to catch a glimpse of a tank of some kind rolling just past their road into a massive burst of gunfire.
@Game Ping 126 Approaching down the street sticking to the shadows Serenity would be able to see the tank a lot closer as it entered a city square and fired at a building opposite.
Corpses had been chained and strung up against it and vines clogged its cannon and tracks. A infested commander in tattered bloody uniform that was stikcing torso-up out the hatch had actually been fused there. Again it fired and blew out an entire floor.
Rockets were flying across the square from the building slowly being blasted apart by the tank. But the distance was too great and the rockets fell short. (edited)
Infested NATO forces. Beware. Armored enemies.The tank blasted again wiping out another section of the building causing part of the front to collaspe in a pile of rubble. Serenity could actually see the thrashing burning bodies thrown from the third floor by the blast.
@Andle | Cam, Ib, RachDo you have any visuals on friendly NATO soldiers? Nobunaga would reply. Holding her position.There is fighting up ahead. They're losing. They're holded up in defensive positions. It may be best to use the ones here as a sacrifice to get ones from other areas out. I doubt they can make it out.A fair asssesment, Assassin. However, we are also tasked to repel the forces of Vlad Tepes. We might as well get involved and defeat this batch of enemies as quickly as possible.
Assassin, how many monstrosities do you see?Serenity would make a headcount of at least another infested tank at the edge of the square, about sixty feet from the one in front of her, firing. There were also units of shambling infantry blindly spraying their guns in the general direction the shelled building. There couldn't be less then ten of the Infested Soldiers.
@Andle | Cam, Ib, RachTwo armored units and ten infested infantry.You heard the Assassin. Let these soldiers witness our greatness as we rid the streets of these monsters.Suddenly the Radio that every Chaldean had been given crackled on. It was frantic shouting muffled by explosions and sobbing in the background.
"All callsigns on this net, this is Excalibur 2-3. We are pinned down at the mall outside Piazza Mercanti! Several tanks! Be advised, our sitaution is critical. We can't take much more of this fire. We need more time to get the civvies out of here! Come on! Anybody!"
@Game Ping 1"This is Commander Henderson of the British Forces, we have two tanks and assorted infantry blocking my path at the Janson Office Complex," the square right now in front of them had those words on the side of the buidling now bing fired upon, "Cannot reach the tanks with the weapons I have. Requesting possible support from nearby units."
@Game Ping 1We should move.Hmph. We are needed everywhere it seems.
I suppose I can stay here and assist the soldiers ahead. I could acquire assistance from one of you while the rest head over to the mall.So be it. Assassin, you will stay here with me. We'll take care of these monsters in the square. Kinsman, Lancer, I want the three of you to make your way over to the mall and assist the NATO soldiers. Any disagreements?
Nobunaga would then pick up her radio and reply to this 'Commander Henderson'.
"Your request for aid has been accepted, Commander."
Her message was brief and as soon as she communicates with the commander, she proceeds to reach out to the side and summon this giant chain gun with a blade attached at the bottom of it. She then smirks, liking the weapon she received from being summoned as an Avenger."Oh God someone at last! Which unit are you from?" the relived voice cried out.
@Thunder - LS | ED | DO | HT"Then hurry up!" They've already breached the mall and are inside!""Uh," Commander Henderson at the office's voice suddenly crackled through, "Just saw several Z's drop like flies. Who did that?"
@Game Ping 1"All under control." The woman quietly spoke, moving along with the shadows just as the engagement begun. Quickly grasping at her dirks once again and sticking close within the darkness... She found her new target.Two more would fall under the barrage of poison from Serenity.
@Andle | Cam, Ib, RachNow.
@ArbyOrNotToBeThe turret of the tank turned to its right at the direction of @Serenity but not aimed at her! But rather the Dead Soldier which had hit her, thinking it had been the attacker that had killed its commander. It's cannon breach slowly cricked upwards to the edge of the building and with a thunderous roar it fires its main gun!With a barrage from both Nobu and Serenity the infantry around the tanks would all be slaugthered in less then a few seconds.
<<Okay I'm really going to need more then 'your aid'>> the commander's voice came with disbelief in its voice.
@Kiwa | Saito @Andle | Cam, Ib, Rach (edited)
)
The tank would rock back and forth as Nobu slammed into it with her gatling gun, jostering all over the place as its armour dented and began to crack.
@ArbyOrNotToBeWe're done here. Let us go and assist the rest at the mall.The area was now clear of the dead and buring or disabled tanks were all that were left.
<<Now who was that?>> the voice came in, <<Which unit is that from and what the hell type of weapon was that?>>
@Andle | Cam, Ib, Rach @ArbyOrNotToBeRacing forward Cu, Raikou, and the Golden Berserker bolted through the burning and ruined streets. The sound of the gunfire was defeaning ahead of them. Around the corner there was a large mall in the center of a square. One story tall with probally the majority of its structure under the ground. But the exterior was aflame and the others could see that up to four tanks were currently firing on the building and dozens of dead soldiers were walking into the building through the fire like they didn't care.
<<We can't sustain much more damage. There's so much smoke. All callsigns, be advised, we have civilians taking up arms to defend the basement entrance but their totally untrained! We're on the verge of being overrun... oh god please>> the voice on the radio came through.
@Game Ping 1
He would see that a massive breach had been made in the wall by a pair of tanks and now dead were flodding in through that gap. Some of the Dead carried guns but others possessed claws and at the entrace there was a strage beast shaped almost like a spider... 
Despite making a crap ton of noise on the advance, Cu wasn't detected. It seemed that the noise of guns firing and tank cannons roaring were serving as a good enough distraction.
@SquigDozens of gun barrels and a tank cannon turned and locked on Sakata.
@Thunder - LS | ED | DO | HT"Ahaha, stealing the spotlight this early? Well then, I go in too!" Cu thought before charging to the nearest tankCu's lance would penetrate and soon bring down low before it exploded in a cloud of grasping biting arms in front of him.
@SquigThe tank would charge forward with roaring engines in an effort to run the two servanst over!
@Squig @Grim)Sakata would see something rousing in the rubble in front of him, a monster on six pale legs that seemed to manage to lock onto his oderous scent. It's mandables cackled as it looked around to find the source the strange smell.
@Thunder - LS | ED | DO | HTSuddenly the tank would be smashed so hard into the ground its stuck halfway into the ground with its engine buried into the ground and its cannon unable to point at anything but the sky now pratically crumpled in half.The tank would detonate in a flurry of sharpnel and steel, but despite being in the center of a massive crater with teh tank literally having ceased to exist save a wheel that was now spinning around in cirlces before its momentum ceased and it dropped,
Raikou and Cu just had soot on their shoulders.
@Squig @Grim)<<We're on the verge of being overrun, we need help NOW! This is the Piazza Mercanti Mall, combat personnel are mostly dead, they're right outside! Whiskey Mike evac site to all callsigns, enemies are closing rapidly on our position, God dammit we need more TIME!">> the voice frantically shouted.
@Game Ping 1Serenity and Nobunaga would enter seeing invisible mages bombard the roof of the mall, keeping the snipers on top of it pinned while they could see figures fading into the burning smoke of the building.
@ArbyOrNotToBe @Andle | Cam, Ib, RachThey had entered a supermarket of some kind. Corpses were strewn all over the floor in the smoke choked mall. Both Undead and NATO soldiers whose blood was still fresh on the floor. They could hear gunfire coming from below them but the esclators that led below in front of them had been collasped in by rubble.
There was another way probally in the center of the mall but that was now a blazing inferno.
@Game Ping 1Cu would smoke through the smoke a pair of elevator shafts, one of which was half open with a loose wiring sparking in the dark.
@SquigThe doors at the bottom were stuck shut with only a crack to see through.
Cu would find that he'd landed just behind a barricade of some kind. Dead NATO soldiers were strewn all over it and the ground was ankle deep with casings. A grenade went off somewhere out of sight. There were too NATO soldiers still alive at the barricade.
One was wounded writhing on the floor behind cover in a pool of his own blood while a second soldier over him was screaming at the top of his lungs as he fired down the hallway.
"YOU BASTARDS! YOU BASTARDS!"
"Johnny," the wounded man rasped,
"Not now! Stay down!" the man with the pistol shouted, they'd all realize he had been the voice on the radio. "I promised Ma we'll both make it home!"
"It doesn't hurt anymore..."
"Stay with m-" he was cut off by the sudden sound and jerked his pistol at the noise. "Wha-"
@Game Ping 1"You're what now!?"A Dead soldier would literally stick its gun into the Golden Berserkers face and unloead an entire magazine.
@Thunder - LS | ED | DO | HTIn a single barrage Serenity would cut down three of them like they were nothing. Her posion caused them to froth at the mouth despite being already Dead before kneeling over.
One was still alive.
@Andle | Cam, Ib, Rach"GET SOME YOU FUCKING BASTARD" the NATO soldier would rise from cover spraying his machine gun down the hallway cutting down one of the Dead.With a final attack, the Berserker was about to end the battle.
@Thunder - LS | ED | DO | HTWith that strike the caconpahny of gunfire had ended. There was no more sound of fighting. Anywhere.
The NATO soldier looked disoriented as he dropped his rifle. His eyes couldn't focus on anybody. "What?" he asked confused. (edited)"Evac-" the word snapped him back to reality as he shook his head, "Jesus Christ that was cutting it close! You were the guys I heard over the radio?""Y- you guys ain't from NATO or any militia I've seen... never seen anyone dress with... like that," he motioned to every single member of the group, "Did I get my head knocked up or end up in a girl's strip bar or circus tent?"
Everyone would notice that this man wasn't even a man, his face was young though scarred and tired with blood that wasn't his. He couldn't have been older then seventeen really.
A rank tag on his breast named him 'Éanna O'Lenaghan'"The hell is a Chaldea?" he muttered as he checked his wounded friend, "Stabalized,"
"Shit," he swore and looked at the doors behind them that NATO had so dearly sacrificed, "I heard from the other door that they had been breached... I didn't know how bad. It's gone quiet. That's good right?"
@Game Ping 1There was a few vents in the hallway, probally lead into the main room Hassan could guess.
@Game Ping 1Ahead the vents were thick with soot. She could see that it twisted in such a way that it lead to behind the doors. She could hear something that resembled soft sobbing?
Any further and she'd risk making noise unless she actively attempted to stealth.
@Andle | Cam, Ib, Rach18 The room was pitch dark. A half dozen soft voices of laboured breathing and one sobbing all around. She'd catch a glimpse in the dark room of bodies in varied clothing strewn about the room in puddles of blood. None of them wore uniforms.
@Andle | Cam, Ib, Rach(Ye i knew but forgot range)
In black and white she would see the room about fifty by fifty was strewn with bodies. There had been a door blasted open at the other end and corpses of both Undead and NATO soldiers were strewn all over the barricade on that side. In the middle of this massacre Serenity could see a soldier on a mound of bodies tucked up in a ball crying.
@Andle | Cam, Ib, RachThe soldier collasped next to a wall, exhuastion taking over him as Serenity checked the ducts, "We tried to hold the line... there were so many of them... they killed so many of us," Éanna buried his face in bloody hands. "Why couldn't you have come sooner? Before they killed us.""You're what? Servants?" he looked up and frowned at Cu, "Like the waiter type of Servant?"There was a barricade made of sandbags and NATO corpses just outside the barred door into the main hall. The hallway that lead to it was filled with bullet casing and corpses of both Undead and NATO. The defending troops hadn't had a chance in hell but they'd made the enemy pay dearly for each inch.
There was a wounded soldier next to the barricade unconcius but given the shallow breathing still alive and stable.
@ArbyOrNotToBeNothing stirred save for the burning and pockmarked corpses."We were tasked with escorting the civvies out of here," he shook his grime covered face, "But the Forest advanced too fast and we were forced to cut through Milan. As we were crossing a bridge out of the city High Command blew it under from under us to slow down the enemy... there were still so many people still on it. High Command didn't care. Those that weren't blown to bits were drowned..."
"I think the river stopped flowing from all the bodies, I'm not sure," Éanna's lip trembled, "Then Command told us to hunker down with the civvies that had survived and wait for resuce by choppers..."
"The choppers never came. The Colonel died a few hours ago and then the Major... then the Captain... I think so many died that I'm not even anything more then a grunt and I think im in command now."
@Game Ping 1"I... what?" he looked at Nobunaga with confusion, "I was only conscripted last week. They didn't even give me a week to train with my rifle. And I don't even know... if any are alive other then me.""They're right behind the doors," he nodded frantically drawn to almost the point of tears by Nobunaga's words, "The civvies I mean... we had another door that lead into there that the Heinkal took a team to defend. I haven't heard anything from Henkal ever since the gunfire started. I tried to hold this door I really did. Then Elijah got a shot to the gut... I think he's fine now. It stopped breathing and he's just sleeping.""Jesus Christ..." he stared at the weapon Nobunaga had, "If only we had something with stopping power like that."
Éanna quickly made for the door and unlocked the chains with it trying to push it open. But it didn't budge. He tried again. Didn't budge.
"Thunder!" he slammed on the steel doors with his fist, "Thunder! Dammit that's the code word we're clear out here! We got reinforcements. Zofia open the door."
@Game Ping 1 (edited)The Kid dodged deftly at Cu.
The doors burst open.
There wasn't screams.
There wasn't cheers.
There wasn't roaring gunfire in response.
Just the sound of flies and sobbing.
The room was dark but you didn't need light to see the carnage in front of you. The entire room was filled with several dozen corpses. None of them wearing army uniforms. The floor was slick with blood and piss. In some the corners where they had been cut down by gunfire, the bodies were pilled so tight that several were still standing in the press of corpses.
In the middle of the room on a small mound of Undead and Ghoul corpses. Someone was sitting on them with a bloody bayonet in her hand. She hadn't been fast enough.
"Oh..." Éanna muttered.
"I-i'm sorry, Éanna," she gasped at the door opening, "I wasn't fast enough,... I wasn't fast enough."
The other door that lead into the room had been breached open. NATO and Dead bodies were piled at them in a desprate last stand. Some corpses still twitched on the ground, barely alive ghouls trying to feed off the blood.
Dozens of them had stab wounds that had killed them.
@ArbyOrNotToBeIt was the entrance to the large part of the mall with esclators and burnt out ships. It seemed that instead of having been massacred like the hallway the Dead had somehow been ordered to retreat. She could see two of them, lacking legs, trying to drag themselves up an esclator.
@ArbyOrNotToBe
"I..." her eyes went wide as he saw the Golden Berserker, the black of her iris becoming very small as she brandish her knife. "I WONT LET YOU TOUCH THEM!!"
She dashed forward swinging her Knife at the berserker.
@Game Ping 1"Zofia no!" Éanna shouted but it was too late.Zofia sunk her knife deep into his shoulder and stopped, her eyes wide in shock that he hadn't killed her for this, "You're not one of the dead...."
Nobunaga would see they were begaining to go up the esclator and judging by the trail of blood were heading to the main level of the mall.
@Game Ping 1 (edited)Serenity. Follow the undead and see where they are going. She orders the Assassin. We'll stay a bit behind to question the survivors.She dropped her knife and fell to her knees at his feet, "Z-z-zofia... I tried to stop them... I really did... but they were so many of them... it became a blur and I couldn't kill them fast enough. I'm sorry..."
Éanna was moving through the pile of corpses, checking them for life. Nothing yet. He found a corner with bodies far too small. He ducked to the side and hurled.
"Bastards!" he screamed to nobody. "Fucking Bastards!
@Game Ping 1Zofia muttered as he looked up, "Who even are you...""That's a Japanese name," she muttered as she wiped the blood tears from her face, "But you don't look like JSDF."
@Grim)Serenity and by extention the entire group would see that the Dead had totally retreated out of the mall across the street to an open ruined square full of bursted concerete and burning cars. They all stopped and looked at the roof of one of the towers, about eighty feet up, towards a figure that stood on the very edge that seemed like it was adressing them.
@Game Ping 1"I... Sakata... Japanese..." she stood up, "You heard our radio call?"
@Thunder - LS | ED | DO | HT"I only wish you came faster... now there's nothing left." she wiped her blade, she seemed to have stopped cry and on her face was only barely restrained anger as she stared at the corpses.
"I have wounded here," Éanna suddenly shouted from a corner in the room. "I have wounded!"
@Game Ping 1"No matter," she said. Wiping the blood off her knife, "Eanna? What do you mean by wounded?"
"I got Harkon here! He's still alive but I don't know how the treat his wounds.""I'm sure its fucking infected," Harkon, an officer in blue uniform slumped against the wall with its blood trailing down, "I got a fucking hole in my gut you blind fuck,"
He had a southern accent and for sure he had a hole. An explosion or maybe a stab had left a gashing wound just below his chest in his belly.
@Squig"Oh bloody hell," The officer's remaining eye opened in shock as the wound healed, "I take what I said back. Are you one of those Churchies with their mircales, buddy?""Well you certianly looked radiant enough though," he shook his head "The big cathedral. We were heading there when we got pinned down and forced into the mall. The Duomo di Milano I think it's called. The General set up his command post and the fiercest resistance is there. I think they have some sort of Holy Relice that's protecting and everyone's rallying around. They say it'll win the battle."The Officer got up with a loud gasp, not at pain, but at the lack of it. Harkon muttered, "I know things look bad the two of you," he adressed the two survivors, "And for fucks sake it is. But we won't let them die for anything. I think I know who these strangers are from what the Colonel briefed us on. My orders will now be to head to the Cathedral to assist in it's defence. Maybe this holy relic can actually do something to turn to tide. It's the last bastion of hope we have and God dammit I won't let it fall."
He looked to Sakata, "Good. You know it's at the Cathedral. You'll be coming with us right?"
@Game Ping 1"Alright, we'll have to cross the Morandi River to get there," he nodded. "What exactly are you guys doing here exactly? Thought you guys were supposed to be the last bell to ring when there's nothing less... then again I can't imagine a more hopeless situation."
@Game Ping 1Serenity and by extention the entire group would see that the Dead had totally retreated out of the mall across the street to an open ruined square full of bursted concerete and burning cars. They all stopped and looked at the roof of one of the towers, about eighty feet up, towards a figure that stood on the very edge that seemed like it was adressing them.
@Andle | Cam, Ib, Rach (Re-cap)"Alright, we'll have to cross the Morandi River to get there," he nodded. "What exactly are you guys doing here exactly? Thought you guys were supposed to be the last bell to ring when there's nothing less... then again I can't imagine a more hopeless situation." @Game Ping 1
"Alright then," he cocked his rifle, "Two of you cover our ass,"
"Let's move."
He began to move up the esclator making sure to have Zofia stab several of the dead with her dagger.
They'd probally bump into Serenity...
@Game Ping 1The mainway out the mall seemed to have a commotion outside in the square right outside the door, about a hundred feet away.
The Dead were all congragating in a square and staring up at the roof of a tall building. The wind was terrible and the smoke cutting down vision, but it could be visible that there was a figure standing on the very edge.
"Blessed for the Forest... chosen... glory... day... foul..." words carried over the wind.
@Game Ping 1With her Servant eyes she would be able to look onto a distant figure for but a moment. Only able to view its face for but a moment.
The Driks of Hassan would pierce its tough bark skin. But he barely even flinched at the barrage, taking time to pluck one of them out as he spotted Serenities position amongst the trees.
"Foul Servants!" it cried out in a voice that could only be described as oaken, its voice echoing so that everyone could hear it, "To dare to touch a Father amongst his children is a most foul deed indeed!"
He rose his staff, clearly about to slam it down.
"As the Shepard of Enniashe and caretaker of its offspring, I judge thee!"
@Game Ping 1"Bear witness to the fruit of my tree!" it cried out and slammed its staff beaneath its feet next to Serenity.
Suddenly a massive eruption of roots from Einnashe exploded from the ground right at her feet searching to reach up her legs."Intresting," it muttered, "You are quick on your feet servant. Would you not serve a more caring Master who shall accept thy into its bossom?"It gasped as the kiss was planted and looked ath spot, now burnt black by the viriliant poison. For a moment it dropped to knees, gasping for air as the poison worked its way up its body and for a moment it dropped onto the ground in a heap of its torn rags.
It didn't move.
Then it got back up again, towering over her nearly four meters tall.
"A Noble Phantasm?" it asked almost confused not at the act, but at the fact she would even dare, "Very well. It seems that I must create my own Nursery in this disgusting creation of Man. To wipe the slate clean and allow the Ancestors to take their rightful place amongst this Earth."
"TRĒS"
"DUO"
"ŪNUS"
@Game Ping 1It was building up to something massive, something so massive even the Curse of Resotration had ceased as every single part of his body was focused on the staff as he counted down.Suddenly one of Serenity's dagger knocked his staff out of his hand and he looked at her angirly, "Cease! To awaken the Forest so far from its core requires upmost reverance!"
@Andle | Cam, Ib, RachThe weight of the shove was so great that it staggered the gaint creature. It stared down at the small man in almost confusion that is was trying to move it.
"I am a avatar of the Forest. None shall stay my path!" it growled.
@Thunder - LS | ED | DO | HT"Hmmm," it gazed. "You are strong. Then maybe it is time for our grand family to accept one more worthy member."Behind him the horde of dead and ghouls began to moan and walk over. There were potentially hundreds of them flodding through the park and square!This is bad."Hah Scathach, the extra training was necessary after all" Cu thought, he is failing down from the platform. It seems like his right hand is broken, a small price for the feat he accomplished and all of his mana is used. Heh, it was a good journey here and good fights were offeredEvery single window in the city shattered from the shockwave. Several nearby skyscrapers that were famed for dotting the horizon of Milan crumbled as their foundations were destroyed by the sheer force of the blast.
The ground quaked.
In Rome Ricter scales registered a 5.0.
In Rome, High Command staring at the combat situation from Spy Planes went into panic as they believed someone had dropped a tatical nuke withouth permission.
In one fell swoop thousands of Dead and Ghouls were reduced to less then ash.
And in the fifty feet smouldering crater where the park had been, stood the figure with his staff and cloak. Smouldering and bloody he stared up at Cu.
"Thou art an impressive warrior." he nodded in acknoledgement. He gripped his staff.
@Game Ping 1"You have my respect, Lancer with the Spear of Death,""But I have shown all thee curtesy enough.""This is a sin I will not forgive," it muttered.Water would splash around it as it landed in the crater. It grimaced in disgust at being surrounded by this water.
"Enough." it muttered.
Despite its annoyance it was clear it was sluggish in the water."Such hinderance will not do!" it grumbled as it smashed its club over and over again into the ground.With a final flurry of attacks the ground cracked and gave way into a subway tunnel, the water began to filter through and in seconds the water would flow away.
@Game Ping 4Suddenly a howling wind filtered through the city of Milan.Are we holding up or should we retreat?"I am the Shpeard of Einnashe and I speak for the Woods!" it roared as it slamed the staff down. "And I hear the call of the woods!"This doesn't sound good... Brace yourselves!And roots would erupt from the ground, grabbing onto the legs and wrapping around the bodies of Raikou and Sakata, slashing them bad.
@Game Ping 1"My Children beckon for me." he stared at it, "I have entertained thee long enough." (edited)With a sharp inhale and pushing off his cane, the creature suddenly leapt nearly sixty feet into the air landing outside the crater in a hail of debris.
"I am afraid I must leave thee to thy own devices. A most noble Count calleth for my pressance."
@Game Ping 1 (edited)"Such an ill-tongue for a noble warrior of great power," he annouced, "I am the Shepard of Einnashe, and I am not one to hide my intentions. Indeed I am to withdraw under the command of the Count. But make no mistake, Chaldea, this shall not be the final time we shall meet."
"And when you do, you shall join our family."
@Game Ping 1The Shepard became a blur as it leaped through the trees of the forest, despite its immense wieght the trees it stood on didn't buckle.Whoop Whoop Whoop the sound of helicopter blades came through the buildings. It was an Apache Attack Helicopter as it came in low, barely nicking the trees with its belly. And it stopped directly over the Shepard.
@Game Ping 1
"Thou art a foolish Servant indeed," it echoed."Gah!" it cried and jerked its head back to who did it."Thy part in this shall not for forgotten," the beast said as he slammed Cu with his staff.By now the creature had almost exited the park and was now amongst the ruined buildings of the cities. The servants in persuit could feel the distant sound of engines and tracks rumbling down the streets.It had almost made it but Raikou....
@Game Ping 1With a bit of ripping almost every single tendril was ripped or stabbed before they got too deep leaving a black sludge left.
The sound of helicopter blades still beat everywhere.
@Game Ping 1"We have to go now!" one of the soldiers, Harkon, ran up to the Chaldeans, "We got ten infested helicopters heading our way and three battalions worth of armour rolling through the park this direction! Ain't no way we holding our current ground!"
@Game Ping 1"We should make for the Cathedral or the Palace. But I have no idea of the state of the palace and there's no way we can make it to the cathedral on open ground on the streets. Even with ruins it'll be a crap shoot of exposed killzones on streetlevel."
@Game Ping 1With a final yank Cu would pull out the last piece of the dead apostle, something that resembled but a sappling version of it.
Then another barrage of missiles fell on his head.
Koyanskaya, I hate to say it, but I believe I once more require your help. Sibuxiang should fly us into the isles above, maybe that's where Chudo was refering to. Think you can find it?"I'm sure I can. Leave it to me, Ziya."There is an isle blotting out the sun, and I can sense its aura... That must be the one~"
in the past
now
“GREAT JOB MORDRED! HOLD HIM DOWN! I’M COMMING SOON!” he’d say as he fends off the attacks that the creature launch at him, trying to slice and bite at the man while he separates from the group and takes care of this looming threat!I will disengage in a moment. I trust you can keep them occupied, Berserker. @[unintelligible sub noises] ”Gladly, don’t worry about me, even if it’s necessary you can strike me, I can take it, but I suggest you try to do something about the lord of the bones right there, he needs healing himself as you can see after I gouged his eyes. Can you do something?” he asks as he would let her walk past him, allowing her exit through his space if necessary, ready to him and Mordred take her place
”Trust we are on the same page Saber” he’d remark to Mordred through mind speech (edited)
I will do what's necessary. Steer clear and out of the way.
To Tell Me I Have Broke
Sleep.... (Otdykhay....)
Master, are all servant's summoned by Chaldea problematic? @Orphelia/Naomi/Artoria Master, are all servant's summoned by Chaldea problematic? @Orphelia/Naomi/Artoria
Understood. She simply sighed, closing her eyes just for a moment. Doing her best to keep a poker face while staring at Koyanskaya.
While it does not sit right with me to have the innocent be disposed of like this, I am aware of the fleeting nature of Singularities. Considering the method by which the Church has been threatening our comrades... I'm not sure what the best course of action is.I understand your plight, King of Knights. For now, I say you should hold your sword. These innocents, as much as it pays me, most likely are no more than Dead Apostles. For now, I believe having Daji in our best graces is our best course of action, as much as it may pain you.
After entering the Challenge Quest portal, the screen distorts like some kind of TV show..
“What’s the point of being the peak of beauty and resilience as the immutable leader of Wallachia if people don’t even pay you attention” (edited) 
C-- A-- HEAR--I-- CANN-- SEE YO--
The Group once more enters the Simulation, finding themselves in a dimly lit corridor. For those that have seen Tartarus before, unmistakably this is a perfect replica.
BB is of course, cheering you on, just as usual.
However, the Quiet is soon interrupted by a loud knocking sound as the Party had been preparing their Spells and Abilities for the upcoming Battle.
as Yasuke broke apart the Frail Wall, he spots the Minotaur, winding up to Charge against it.
a Latecomer joins the Labyrinth. Ibaki is unceremoniously dropped into the Maze.
and so.. The Minotaur is felled. The Gargantuan Beast is slain. The Arena fizzles out around them, back in that dim Corridor. The Stairs are right ahead. 
On the outskirts of Southern Genoa the units of NATO that have chosen not to follow the insane orders of High Command have set up a forward operating base only a few miles south of the fortress city in the farmfields. Even from this distance you can see the lights of the city.
Genoa is an old, ancient city. It is the capital of Liguria and the most populated city of the Riviera. The city is famed for its old culture, of its Renaissance and Manneris to late Baroque and Rococo architecture. It’s buildings stretch over the foaming sea below as it climbs the side of a cliff which at the bottom sits the largest port in the entire reigon, of which is well known for the sailboats and yachts parked within it on a bright summer day as a gentle ocean breeze whips up the mist of the sea that floats across a sunny city on the Mediterranean coast.
The city you see now is nothing like that anymore. The picturesque buildings have been covered by concrete fortifications and sandbags. Windows have been boarded up and entirely smashed. On its paved cobblestone streets are no longer pedestrians or horse-drawn carts but super-heavy tanks that grind and crumble the street beneath their tracks on patrol as platoons of troops follow behind. Almost around every corner is a barricade with machine guns and barbed wire teeming all over them like a barnacle infestation. No longer is the Piazza De Ferrari populated by children returning from a tiring day at school but now it is home to Patriot Missile Systems and Radar.
The Officer who is responsible for the assault puts down his binoculars with a bead of sweat falling down his face.
"This isn't going to be easy..." he remarks and looks around in hope that Chaldea chose to come.
"Wanna do us a favour and run forward into their midst until they run out of ammunition?" he tried to joke, punctuating it with a nervous chuckle.
@Orphelia/Naomi/Artoria"So far they haven't responded to use setting up camp. Either they're utterly blind outside the city itself or they don't want or can't risk attacking us right now" he would pull up a map of the area where he had made several annotations, shining a flaslight over it. "The red circle is where we've made up camp and the green one is the area we suspect High Command is hiding out. It's the port authority head quarters and it's where the old Supreme Commander set up his base of operations. If we want to end it,"
He stamped a finger.
"That's where it will happen."
Artoria would notice that several soldiers would look up as she appeared on her horse. Where there was fear and worry on their faces, there was now determination as they saw the King walk forward on her mighty mount.
Even one soldier, a particularly young one probally not even older then twenty, saluted her as she walked past.The officer raised his eyebrow at the newcomer BB, both perplexed at her frankly strange way of talking and her outfit that she had chosen for a combat operation. "P-p-please don't torment them. They may be misguided soldiers. But they are... or were our brothers and sisters in arms."
"That's entirely possible," he said to Chris, "But we can't exactly just sit out here and do nothing."And as for suspect, yes. If we had the exact building nailed down we would have had the Archangel level it. But we have limited ammunition and time to waste it on possible dead ends."
@[unintelligible sub noises]The officer honestly looked afraid at BB and didn't dare say anything else.
"We have had scouts that had observed the city from outside. The outer areas are also dead quiet. If we wanted to see any deeper we would have to go into the city itself."
"I can't give you orders really," he said to Veronica, "If anything you are now giving me the orders. Just you five combined will be more effective then my thousand men.""What would that funny little trinket be?""Huh... like a drone then. That'd be useful. We'd send normal drones we have but they're large and'll get spotted easily before being shot down.""Any intelligence we can gather would be of great help." he told Veronica.
@Vormal/Asstolfo/Morban/Sword/Cat"There are old catacombs beneath the city, you are correct. But they may not be structural sound after having crumbled with age. Wouldn't want to be in it if it collapsed. It would bring you to the hills in the middle of the city but not directly next to the marine HQ."
"The port is an option like you said. Any vessels that would normally on patrol are docked in port. We even brought anti-ship missiles in case. If you go on surface, like on a ship you might be spotted. However if I order the attack the chaos created may be enough to allow you to slip by in the mess. We have inflatable boats with us. You would emerge next to the HQ as well."
"We would not need the dragon to hold the base. We can do so ourselves and you will need it more than us."
Veronica's bird would not see too much but empty and silent streets. But it would manage to spot several armoured vehicles and tanks hiding away in alleys.
@Game Ping 1 (edited)"Infantry if they were smart would hide in the buildings."That dragon isn't much larger then a slightly oversized dingy.""How you're getting into the city."
"There's another option of course. Go in the front door and kill everything."
@Andle | Cam, Ib, Rach"If you guys got a suit. We don't have black-ops equipment. That's GIGN stuff." 1"Jesus fucking christ can I work for Chaldea with that pay?" the officer stated, "There you go. I know you servants are rather adverse to using technology so I have a few travel brochures with me that you can use. Internet should still be online this close to Genoa."
@Andle | Cam, Ib, Rach
First image that appeared.
BB could not see the roof itself, just the front of the building with its main doors and windows.
@Andle | Cam, Ib, Rach"My men can distract any reinforcements by assaulting the south of the city. It's not as heavily defended as the north."
@Game Ping 1 (edited)The officer saluted them, "Before I go I am to inform you that our Ace Mihaly S Archange has chosen to join our side for this fight. He will be providing air support if you need it."
"I have my faith in all of you, Chaldea. Make our deaths worth it."
@Game Ping 1
Already members of NATO were mounting up onto their vehicles and moving to attack positions. Above streaked a black airframe heading towards the city.
Just before he mounted up the officer turned back, looking to the east, "Does it feel like the sun of finally rising? Like dawn after this eternal night is starting to come?"
He paused.
"Must just be me."
@Game Ping 1There was a massive flash and they were gone, flung through reality in a digital landscape of overwhelming senses. One moment it was freezing cold, the next it was as if they were in the center of a star. There was a place where there was no air, no nothing but a creeping feeling of a virus crawling within their skins.
Before.
Their feet touched the ground and the first thing they heard were shouts of utter surprise in French from all of them. They were in a courtyard of some kind where defences had been carefully set up before the main doors of the naval HQ.
And around them was nearly a dozen soldiers in black uniform still stunned from the force of the teleporation. These were the elite GIGN... but no matter how elite one is...
nobody expects the mooncell.Reaching upwards the horrible tentacles of BB seize the soldiers in their surprise. They haven't even been able to turn around.
"What t-" one of them exclaimed."What the hell is this!"The strike from Veroncia's spear would utterly pummel the Nightmare before her, banishing it back before impaling it through the heart.
It's death was a painful one as it incinerated from the inside out, flame pouring out of every orfice as it became a stumbling candle.Nagato's final blow would have been fatal if not for the last second block by the Nightmare,
"It's going to take more then that, kid," it's electronic voice through its gas mask muttered.
"Ha. I'm not the only o-" suddenly his head evaporated in radiant energy and his twitching body collapsed to the ground.Before the fatal blow the GIGN trooper would use his P90 submachine gun to block the blow of Chris....Suddenly appearing from behind one of the pillars a GIGN kneeled down and opened up on full-auto towards the back of Veronica's dragon!
@Vormal/Asstolfo/Morban/Sword/CatThe insult was so great that his nose began bleeding like an anime protag.Another Nightmare would drop as electricity coursed through his body, jerking his corpses like a puppet as the smelled of cooked meat filled the courtyard.And the head of another would go flying through the square."The courtyard is lost!" one of the soldiers shouted, "I repeat the courtyard is lost secure the main door. Do not let them through! We'll buy you as much time as well can!"One of the Nightmares took a rocket launcher and fired it at BB, "Die already you purple bitch!""You know what?" he stamped his foot down, "I didn't sign up for this shit!"
"See you in hell you fucking menace and go eat shit in the meantime you toothpaste of a woman."
Then he drew his pistol and blew out his own brains from the shame. 3Suddenly the corpse twitched, raising it's hand up.
And then giving BB the finger. 5 2There were sounds behind the main door as heavy furniture was being dragged and shouts of soldiers behind it barricading it. (edited)
A naplam rocket from the upper window was their response."Was the panty really needed?" a voice shouted from a megaphone, "l-l-like I know we're brutally killing each other but can we please have some professionalism?"
(Non-canon) (edited)Elsewhere there was the sound of battle as NATO forces began their assault against Genoa.
<<We'll draw off any reinforcements if we can!>> the voice of the officer came on <<Keep the broadcast going their troops are breaking like dogs!>>
@Game Ping 1 (edited)With a thunderous roar suddenly the cannon fired. Whatever barricades they put up were vaporized alongside dozens of soldiers as the massive shell penetrated the front door, the splinters from it shredding men into bloody pieces, before detonating right in the middle of the hall consuming dozens more in fire and shrapnel.
The entire facade of the building disappeared.
Out of the blasted hole dazed and shock men staggered out, hacking blood. Most were normal soldiers that had been dragged into this with no idea what they had been fighting for. They were all dead men walking anyway with their organs utterly liquified by the pressure wave.
One man was just walking, "Arm... where's my arm?"
It was about sixty meters to the left in some bush.There was one more shell beside the cannon.
1<<Edit the scenes with our comrades dying...>> the voice came back <<We didn't need to see that... we didn't even want to really have to fight... keep the Dead Apostles but... not that...>>
<<Jesus Christ>>35
33
Result: 1d4 (1)
Total: 1There were several shots inside the building and from the frontdoor ran out several normal human soldiers with their hands held up. Several were still at the rear firing at something inside to cover those retreating.
Bullets rippled back and several of the human soldiers were cut down by the GIGN from the inside.
"We surrender!" they shouted as they dove for cover from the building amongst the scattered body parts of their comrades."P-p-please just no more..." one sobbed, "I just want to go home... I can't take this."They were already running."Some of us didn't trust you or were too scared," said another trooper that had surrendered and was now evacuating the area, "Maybe three dozen inside still there."Many did."We got some members of High Command still in there," a soldier shouted, "Some of them are getting hell out of dodge but there's still most of them in there.""I hate them more then anything, those fucking bastards, any second now and they'll get away.""No! No! No!" a female soldier shouted running towards Lartoria, "Don't! Don't! They're still in there!""You sons of bitches that's my little brother," she punched at Chris with tears in her eyes, "My little brother is still in there! He didn't ask for this!"From the burning building there were still gunshots and people struggling to get out as GIGN hounded the defectors.Several human soldiers are packed into the corner of the room, staring at Veronica with sheer fear as she cut her way through the GIGN."What are you!" one of them shouted as he tried to put several shots that were terrible aimed and went wide."Shit..." the soldiers grabbed their worst wounded and began to move past her, running out the building.Nagato find a group of cowering soldiers in a gunfight with GIGN preventing them from leaving out a smashed window. (edited)"T-t-thanks!" they shouted as they leapt out of the window now that the gunfire was silenced.A wounded soldier would point Veronica down an alleyway leading to the docks.But by the time she reached the docks, the surface of the bay was bubbling and there was a loud moan of steel as something massive surfaced.A massive submarine.Quickly beyond her reach Veronica saw distant figures board it and it quickly began to submerge.But it was already diving too deep and fast for her to follow it as it disappeared into the deep ocean.<<We have sercued the city. I repeat we have taken the city. The last members of the GIGN have been eliminated and our comrades have decided to see sense with many defecting!>> the voice of the officer came through, <<We're raising the flag over Quintine Hill! Did you run them down, Chaldea?>><<Chaldea? Do you read?>><<...>>
<<We've removed a large majority of their power base in taking Genoa. I would have preferred if we had gotten them here... but they are no longer close to the threat they were before we took Genoa. We'll find them...>>
<<I'm sure.>><< I have to be >> <<Anywhere on the forest shore's I suppose. That was the Alicorn, a nuclear capable submarine.>>
<<But with NATO back under our control we'll scour every inch of the ocean floor and sink it before it ever surfaces again.>> (edited)There was a moment as the sea boiled from the strike, then a massive blister grew across the surface, a rising hill of seawater before...
it erupted in a massive volcanic spurt...
as the nuclear arsenal within it detonated right outside Genoa's port.
<<What th->> the officer began before there was a murmur of static as one by one... every single radio connection went off in the city as half the city disappeared and disintegrated.
Then there was silence.Every soldier beside them was either entirely anihlated from the blastwave or quickly collasped as radiation reduced their organs to soup.Rubble.
There's nothing left of Genoa but Rubble.
Nothing but rubble and corpses.
. . . Really?I have just heard what happened.21
Damage: 1d10 (10) + 6 [magical bludgeoning] + 1d8 (1) [lightning] + 2d8 (5, 5) [lightning] = 27
29
Damage: 1d10 (7) + 6 [magical bludgeoning] + 1d8 (3) [lightning] + 2d8 (3, 8) [lightning] = 27 Nagato, Veronique. I request a meeting with you once you return.BB out.32
Damage: 1d10 (8) + 1d6 (3) + 10 [bludgeoning] + 1d8 (4) [fire] = 25
Vee, Nagato. Please return to rome as soon as possible. I'd like to talk.
1
The abyss seemed to stretch on endlessly within the Temple of Time, blasts and bright flashes of radiant energy rocked the world every moment as the Chaldeans and the Pillars of Goetia battled each other for domination of the Human Order. Though powerful your blades and weapons may be, the Demon Pillars seemed inexhaustive and never ending, they rose once more despite each defeat, crawling back forth from the brink of death.
It would seem that the Demon God Pillars were truly that. Gods, beings so powerful, they were removed from a concept so mundane and universal as death... but a line of magical energy could be felt restoring them, one that had guided your strike team to this location.
Welcome, to the Chamber of Life.
Activate, Activate. The nine Demon Pillars that control the Chamber of Life heed your arrival. Sabnock. Shax. Vine. Bifrons. Vual. Haagenti. Crocell. Furcas. Balam. We nine Pillars celebrate life. We nine Pillars praise the union. We nine Pillars will not allow you to interfere with our duties. Chaldeans. I, Sabnock, shall personally see to your downfall.
Ami, Andromalius, Belial, Dantalion, Decarabia, Gremory, Murmur, Ose, SeereI summon thy to assist Sabnock.
Musashi, while I appreciate your cheerfulness, this really... Isn't the time.We barely killed ONE OF THESE DAMN THINGS JUST NOWI've got none. I've been busy!
You dare? YOU DARE CRETIN!?
A scream of anguish roared throughout the field, as the Demon Pillar was hacked into pieces by Musashi... from the smoldering corpse of Sabnock, came a colossal humanoid figure, forced to descend in his true form.
"I had sought to preserve my resources so as to aid the others, but that is no longer possible because of you. I will enjoy erasing your very existence greatly."
3
Defend yourselves! I'm sensing multiple powerful energy signatures heading this way--!
Report in--!!!Strike force Life!?No! Not now--!That's... Extremely problematic--!
Archer? I'm on my way to the Armory, what do you need?
Got it. In that case, Francis... By my command seal, UNLEASH YOUR NOBLE PHANTASM, AND SHOW THEM THE HELL YOU STAND TALL IN!
So! I've got good and bad news!Bad news. Solomon is still alive and well.Good news is that at least he isn't coming here.Oh and extra bad news. I'm pretty sure Romani and Fou are heading towards where he is...Ugh...
I have absolutely no damn clue why either of them is heading there!It seems like a death wish.
I already tried. He turned his communicator off...First time I tried goddamn cat picked up.Seriously. The only answer I got was 'Fou' before he hung up!!!!It's their death wish. Naomi's Chaldean Communicator began to ring."Uh I guess, Ohai Gorsmachine?" an American Southern voice came through, smooth but clearly strained in this moment, "That how you greet back in Jap? Anyway, I've got the simulation you requested booting up so come to MPR room 21. I think we got one progam loaded up that you'll like alongside some new tech I want to test out."MPR room 21 was a plain white room with white panels bolted along the door. Standing next to a Dental Chair looking apparatus with a stainless steel tray next to it, was a plain looking blonde man in a Chaldean Personnel uniform.
"Ah you're Ms. Shirakawa," it was the same voice as the communicator, "I'm Technical Cadet Henderson. What we have today is a prototype we think you'll like. I made it myself actually and I'm hoping that today's trial will prove that it has worth."
He took a headset off the table. "This! Will enable Masters and Servants to have all the ability of the training simulator without the massive power drain or requring a massive room in order to replicate scenarios!"
He seemed rather excited with a grin on his face as he held it before her.
"The name's Henderson. No need to add the extra "son" at the end," he said as he fidgeted with the helmet, "It's really quite simple. There's a needle at the back that interfaces directly with your spinal nerves at the nape of the neck. You could be doing backflips in the virtual world but right here you'll just be lying on that chair. I took some inspiration from BB's mentions of the mooncell believe it or not. Before her I thought it was only possible in theory. But now thanks to Chaldea's tech I can make a somewhat immination of it."
"Don't worry I've tested it on myself before. But I don't have combat skills and honed nerves you Master Candidates have. So you'll be the first. As for safety, I believe it was the great edison who said 'nothing ventured, nothing gained,'""Now you're seeing it! No more simple arenas in the confines of our second-rate chambers." he boasted proudly, "Spanning regions at your disposal and you don't even need to move off your chair. Of course there's the disadvantage of not gaining muscle mass but that's what the gym is for. It's great for learning technique and it's got application even beyond training. Imagine being able to brief for an assault on a fortress while being able to walk through that fortress beforehand."
"If I get something like this out BB will finally give me the respect I deserve," he continued on as he pulled out a laptop near the chair and handed the headset to her."Close your eyes if that makes you comfortable,"
Suddenly Naomi felt something sting at the back of her neck.
"Do me a favour and count from five to one. To make sure the neural connection sticks.""No I mean five to one-" he shook his head, "Whatever. We got it ready."
"OhAndIShouldMentionIHaveNoLiablityInAnyMalfunction," he spoke quickly before he smashed a big red button and everything went white.Cold. That was the first thing Naomi felt. The first snow on her lips and on her fingertips.
A wind blew through the pine forest all around her as a gentle layer of white snow covered the dirt. In the distance over a cavern easily a hundred meters wide she could see a distant castle on the horizon, banners flying and flapping in the wind defiantly staying at their posts despite many being tattered.
The fortress itself had been battered: fires having left several buildings ashen and black and breaches in the walls quickly covered up by barricades and earthworks.
"You there?" Henderson came in her skull.
"Your body? Just laying here though I'm seeing micro-movements with your mouth. That's good at least." he said in her head, "Well like the voicemail I put forward this is the period of the Satsuma Rebellion. You're a Jap you should know, when the Samurai made their last hurrah against the Meji Emperor or something."
"That castle right there is Ashina castle currently under siege by Loyalist forces but given the fact you're just one lady, no, we won't be sending you to take on an entire army by yourself. Something lighter and more delicate to your feminine tastes. A rescue mission for a ViP."As he spoke suddenly a trio of explosions ripped through the castle walls. To her right she could hear the roar of cannons not too far off."Yeah, yeah whatever. Gun go against sword, you know how that works." he said, "So this ViP you're looking for is a Prince of the Royal Family according to this program. He's held in a small compound just down south and downhill of the castle itself in the woods by the Samurai forces. Get him of the area through a secret passage without a hair on his head missing and we got mission success.""We'll according to this brochure I can tell you there are two groups. One in the castle you're currently seeing being blown to bits by Loyalist Imperial cannon fire and the other in the aforementioned Forest Compound just a mile south of where you are." which was in the opposite direction she would be facing the castle, "It seems that the Imperial Forces haven't noticed this compound yet as they're too busy moving to encircle the castle. Lots of chaos and mayhem, seems a good chance to slip through. The secret passage itself is near the compound itself, just a few hundred meters at the base of some mountains that leads to the coast where a ship will pick the two of you up." (edited)"Any other questions? I know that the first moments in here can be confusing at times.""You're going to need to tell me what all these things you say, don't understand a lick of it."
As she marched through the wood suddenly to her right through the corpse of trees she could hear the rustle of footsteps crunching on fresh snow about fifty meters from her.They seemed to be moving towards her direction still shouting loud in Japanese. "Sweep these woods, wide formation, I don't want those Shinobi hitting our supply lines again. We just lost another one less than an hour ago to those bastards!"Just as she made the top of the branch suddenly some snow fell off one of the branches...
and landed on the cap of the Imperial Soldier, dressed smartly in a blue uniform, with the rifle below her.
He stared up in shock for a moment before shouting a warning to everyone.
"SHINOBI!"
"Tengu aren't real!" one of them shouted.
"It's still a Kunoichi!" another yelled with hesitation in his voice.
"Then kill it!" a rougher voice shouted.
She saw them below begin to raise their rifles."OPEN FIRE!"The soldier below Naomi began to fire through the trees but shaky aim and the bad angle with the branches from directly below would foul his shot.Another soldier came running in but in his speed he had wasted too much time running and not to line up another shot."I hit her! I hit her!" the to her right shouted, "Why isn't she down yet!"
"Keep hitting her you fools!""I can't! the tree branches are in the way!" (edited)"Taste Imperial Steel!" one of the soldiers drew a Katana of their own and charged Noami.He began a downard slash from his blade. Sloppy she would be able to see."Shit, I didn't sign up for this!" and one of the soldiers began to back up slowly."Dammit!" another soldier yelled, "WHY WONT YOU DIE ALREADY!"One of the soldiers dropped dead, blood spurting from his neck all over the white snow."They got Hinkuzi! That bitch got him!" one of the soldier screamed, "Jinku, where the hell are you going!"
One of the soldiers was running into the forest away from the battle.The man couldn't move or speak as he stared her down, complete fear in his eyes.Suddenly shots struck the paralyzed man, the other soldier despite his fear had rushed back into combat not to fight Naomi again.
But to mercy kill his friend as she could see with the tears in his eyes."Cold blooded!" he backed into a tree knowing there was no more room to back up, "Look at yourself you beast. I served with that man for twenty years... mercy killing him rather then leaving him to your own wicked desires was the least I could do."
Despite the pale look on his face there was fire and steel behind those words. Pushed into a corner he had nowhere else to go."Just you wait beast... as we speak we'll have our horsemen run your wicked kind into the ground. There's a reason the Emperor seeks to purge your unholy stench from these sacred lands.""We'll burn those backwards Samurai from their castle and make sure our opressors never return to rape and pillage our villages legally."The man dropped dead.
The other one was frozen in place, unable to move a single inch, his eyes the only thing that could move as they tracked Naomi..."S-s-saito," the Imperial Soldier gasped as he reached for his throat. His own blood dotted the snow below him, "P-p-please... Tengu..."He nodded and tried to stand up but more blood spilt onto the snow."Y-y-yes Tengu," he muttered as he rested, "Anything. Just don't hurt me.""In the woods? As thick as they are it's just woods and woods until we reach the mountains and the coast beyond them. Well we can't go back to the Imperial Camp, and they'll be sending reinforcements here soon..." he thought deeply for a moment, "There's an compound nearby our scouts reported as abandoned."He pointed down south, "There, just at the base of the mountains.""It's only a half mile."The night had begun to become dark as the soldier lead Naomi crunching through the snow. His uniform was torn and bloody, making it useless in the upcoming cold. He kept looking back at her, complete fear in his eyes.
"We'll be coming up to it soon. Maybe a minute or two. Hopefully there'll be shelter there.""That's odd," the soldier said as both of Naomi and him could see lights through the trees and a house in the distance, "I-i-i swear Tengu! I swear it was empty when I was told it was!"
He backed up several steps as despite the cold, sweat beads ran down his face.
"IT WAS WHEN THE HORSEMEN SCOUTED IT!" he was almost shouting at this point in a panic. A few nesting birds nearby flew over, "I swear that was what we were briefed on. It was just siege the castle while our scouts said the forests were clear. Until the Shinobi came.""I-I don't know," he said, "They were supposed to have gone extinct two hundred years ago... we think they're on the side of the Samurai Traitors.""Go ahead into that compound?" his chin wobbled."Alright then..." he began to creep forward as stealthy as he could in order to get a good look.
"Cold" Henderson's voice came in her head, "Remind me not to get on your bad side, Ms Shirakawa."He had gotten about as good a look as he could when all of a sudden as he crept back into the darkness, he stepped on a branch and there was a loud crack.
He froze there like a deer in headlights.Naomi would see a slider door open at the house with a figure standing there outlined by the interior light raising a bow. The arrow was loosed, shrilling through the air and hitting Saito in the small of the back.
He went down, still alive but screaming in further pain and unable to move.
Meanwhile Naomi would see three more armoured figures with Katanas and Odachi's stumble from the house entrence shouting to check out what their archer had hit.With the guards distracted at the sight she saw that that there was a small stream that ran just along the side of the house with tall reeds covering each bank, just feet from the front patio where yellow light poured out of the rice paper sliding door. There was only a single guard equipped with a longbow standing at the sliding paper door and he seemed preoccupied with the current comotion happening in the woods.
There we also two other huts to each side of this one but the lights inside them had been extinguished. (edited)The water below was freezing, but Naomi would feel little of it with the training and the many battles she had been through. Several things brushed up against her leg, slimy creatures that existed without eyes for thousands of years in these forgotten swamps. The reeds budged little as she moved through them until she was at the front of the darkened house to the left of the lit one.At the entrence with such little light all she could see in the moonlight were the suggestion of several figures lying on the ground, some snoring, while there was rice paper door at the end of the long room. The hut itself had a fairly tall roof with empty rafters where birds sounded like they perched.Blood spurts from his neck as suddenly his body goes limp within your embrace. Not a single whisper save for the dripping blood.
In the distance, in the woods, you can hear the screams of Saito and the manic laughing of the Samurai who had chased him down.In this room it was dark but there was only one bed with a small figure under the sheets, they had white hair and a frail looking frame.A royal seal on their breast and a purple cloak wrapped on them. They had long white almost silk like hair.
And a pair of crimson eyes looking right at Naomi.
"Who are you?" they said with a soft effeminate voice."I am Price Okami," he whispered.He looked around the room nervously and nodded at Naomi as he slowly moved off the bed, slipping their feet into a pair of sandals on the floor.But as they exited the house Naomi would notice something.
The screaming and laughing from the woods had stopped.They weren't even ten feet from the house when Naomi saw at the very last possible moment a figure shrouded in shadow leap from the tree above her.And she saw the glint of a blade drawn as suddenly it fell right upon her, cloak bellowing out behind it.Suddenly as it retreated into the light Naomi would manage to get a glimpse of its face before it was suddenly frozen.
"You should not interfere with the business of the Emperor and His Imperial Court," it said in a rough voice, "Doing so angers the God... false Tengu.""So is yours, but I give you a chance. Slay the Prince and I shall have the Emperor spare your life." he sneered, "I trained with the Tengu too, do not test me.""Hmmmm" he frowned and suddenly after striking her exposed thigh once with his blade, suddenly hurled himself through the window and into the dark interior of the house.The wind creaked and all Naomi could see was a dark house.
"Is he gone?" The prince asked as he had his back to a nearby tree."Uh so how's it going," the voice of Henderson came in her head."Like the program I put in the Shinobi? I was hoping to translate it to real life battle andriods."
The Prince turned pale, "We'll be overaken by the fire!" (edited)The Prince turned pale, "We'll be overaken by the fire!"
"Hmmmm...." a figure strode through the fire, seemingly not caring to the fact their clothes had been set alit by ambers. Their swords no longer was silver but black as flames danced along the length of it.
"This, this will be interesting."
In the flame Naomi could see the man's face clearly, almost like a demon as he continued to stride forward despite his clothes being on fire.
"You should have kept running, it would have brought you a few more seconds of breath," he said as he moved forward to slash with his blade.Suddenly muttering the words to an incantation the shinobi casted a deceptful spell.A cage lit on fire with its bars made of ribcage suddenly erupted around Naomi and surrounded her on all sides save for a small opening at the very top."Intresting," he squinted "You too are trained in the mystical arts. You did not lie about that at least."Launching forward the Shinobi would attempt a three-strike attack, trying to hit both her armpits and crotch in order to disable her with sheer pain.Moving forward the Shinobi blocked one of her strikes with a Kunai that he suddenly slipped from under his sleeve.Suddenly moving forward the Shinobi didn't swipe with a Kunai or strike with a sword, instead he moved forward and shoved Naomi down to the floor, stabbing downwards with his sword."Die.""You are worthy of the title of Tengu then... maybe even a match for me," he muttered as he strode forward, throwing so many shurikens that it became a steel barrage."I suppose there's no hiding it anymore." he said, "I was created for this. I have no other purpose, no other reason for existing."With a sudden strike, faster than ever, the Shinobi made a almost perfect strike on Naomi.
Almost a killing blow.
Almost."I wasn't close, was I?" he said rather calmly."Yeah he's not having another life," the disappointed voice of Henderson came through, "Inferior code, I'll delete it and try again.""I don't like to work like that. Inferior code is inferior code. I may take behaviour and combat moves, but I start from scratch. I don't accept failures." he said as Naomi saw the body drop onto the burning forest floor before collasping onto the forest floor.
"Gees you better hurry up. We got a massive storm just outside Chaldea. Who the hell knew there was lightning and thunder in the artic?""I don't like to work like that. Inferior code is inferior code. I may take behaviour and combat moves, but I start from scratch. I don't accept failures." he said as Naomi saw the body drop onto the burning forest floor before collasping onto the forest floor. "Gees you better hurry up. We got a massive storm just outside Chaldea. Who the hell knew there was lightning and thunder in the artic?"
The prince nodded as they headed to the hidden passage. True to the word of Henderson it was there at the base of the mountain, a small wooden gate within the rock.And just as she entered the passage suddenly everything became blank. A white void with nothing where she was aimlessly floating.W̴̺͠H̴̃̄A̵͛͂T̶́͝ ̶͒͝T̸̛̓H̶̰͒E̷̍̕ ̴͙̔H̸̊͘E̸͛̍L̶̋̑L̵̜̉
̸̼̉
̴̉̕H̶̓͝É̶̃L̶͐͆P̵̦̓ ̴̇̓
̸̛͘
̶̻͌H̵̾̃E̷͒̀L̸̈́P̷͖̉
̵̆͗
̵̼̃H̵̏̔E̶̍͑L̵̿͝P̴̚͠A distorted voice came into Naomi's ear as suddenly the white void began to glitch.
"Uh... what the hell?" Henderson's distorted voice came through, "The light's out. Shit we're on emergency power. I think we got struck by the lightning..."
Suddenly a loud crackling sound in the background. "Shit! Shit! The lights are blowing out!""I- I can't, your nerves are directly connected to this. Shit, shit, shit. Power's surging. Gonna need to isolate you until this is over. I won't have any control for a bit." his panicking voice came through "Good luck."
Suddenly the white void disappeared and she was back in the underground tunnel with Prince Okami standing right next to her staring up at her.
"What's wrong?" he asked, "You've just been standing there for the past five minutes."She wasn't at the end of the tunnel yet but at the opening she could see moonlight.
She could also hear the sounds of battle.
A bestial roar. A human cry of fury.
The clash of blades and the trembling of earth.
Dust and loose dirt fell off the celling.
Prince Okami didn't seem to even react."These are my lands," a determined male voice carried through the tunnel, "Long ago my Father sent me down from the heavens to conquer all. I took it for myself, chasing away the upstarts and brigades who would dare lay a hand on my sacred soil. With steel and lightning I subjigated all."
"And you dare to violate my lands with your usurping tendrils, foul beast?"
Moving forward Naomi would find herself in a field of white flowers, swaying in the winds.
Prince Okami suddenly stopped in the field, standing utterly still with a blank look, staring forward.
Suddenly reality distorted and before Naomi stood a great beast, easily fifteen meters tall and taking up a massive space with its bulk. The field began to burn.
Eight titanic serpent heads stared at her, with scales of black and crimson and curling tougues that sniffed the air. Lidless pupils took in the surroundings.
"Fufufu, bold words for such a weak little "Samurai" your so pathetic...I might stand still so you can actually cut me with that pathetic little toothpick" one of the heads spoke in a ghoulish voice. 
"You would do well to commit yourself to silence, I think I shall cut off one of your tongues first." suddenly a figure in heavy Samurai armour stepped alongside Naomi drawing an oversized bow from his back before loosing an arrow that struck the beast in the eye. It screamed and shrieked in pain before retreating through the hole in reality.
The figure then turned around and stared down Naomi.
"Foolishness, minion, foolishness. You have sealed your fate. May Amaterasu-Ōmikami show your forgiveness."
"For I will not."
"Now... now... how is this?" the Samurai stopped in his tracks.
"I can't hold out like this forever, Master!"Suddenly a pair of jaws seized the Sword God from behind, fangs sinking into his flesh. He was lifted up by the serpant's head before being dashed against the ground again and again until he was nothing more than a meaty paste.
From the pit where the serpant heads had erupted one had emerged missing a single eye to strike the Samurai from behind. Now beaten and badly injured from the surprised attack he was slowly being dragged back into the hole. The only thing stopping him as he reached the edge was his fingers digging into the dirt."I have it! There's something foreign in the code. I can't reach it at the moment, you two have to get rid of something that doesn't belong!" Henderson's voice sounded in their heads."Well I can tell you I didn't code that weirdo or serpant in!""You'll have to finish it yourself." 1"Alright it's gone. Extracting the two of you in three, two, and one!"
Suddenly the both of you were sitting in dental chairs right next to each other as Henderson removed the headset from both your heads. He was covered in soot and badly burnt in several places, bleeding from a gash in his head too while he was literally coughing smoke. The room was in no better shape as every light had blown itself out.
"I'm sorry," he frantically stuttered, "I had no way to expect whatever the hell that was!""I did! I did!" he cried, "But whatever that power surge was broke all the breakers. Even caused minor explosions! I did what I could but I had to reroute power... I didn't expect failure... failure was supposed to be impossible!""um..." he looked between the both of them, not full aware of their relationship, "Whatever that lightning was, I managed to run scans of it. It's clearly not natural... but it isn't of this world. Those particles... I got a fragment of data from it. And I can tell you it wasn't from here, not this timeline at least.""I don't think we can. It fried everything and I mean everything in this sector. I think what data we could get we already have and I analysed... but this doesn't bode well even if my data and conclusions have half-right.""Screaming? I didn't hear any screaming when I was watching over you.""I'll try to look over records for what that was... in the meantime I suggest you, uh, well touch your brain if that's possible. I have no idea what it went through during the blackout. For all we know you could suddenly have it turn into porridge" he rubbed the back of his head, half joking, half serious."Look if its possible not to mentioned this to BB or the command staff...""My wage for the last year." he trembled. "Look I really need this job. There's no way I can have tech like this ever again if I'm fired. I already have a death warrant on my head from Atlas."He seemed shocked, he thought that Naomi had wanted his head instead and was thankful she had defaulted to that. "O-of course, and I can use it to enhance my AI to use in battle andriods.""Nothing else, I'll try to get on modifications so I can avoid something like this ever happening again." In the distance to the east, the sounds of distant clashing steel have almost faded. Already across the pine-wood forests black smoke was rising alongside the blood-ren sun behind it, with legends of calling it a signal of a night of bloodshed.
Emiya could already smell a faint scent of it, an already familiar smell of burning flesh.
@Game Ping 1
Starting to move forward through the trees, not even raising a whisper like he would have in life, Emiya would at first realize the sound of battle was almost happening barely a kilometer away from where he was. And it was rapidly quieting down now."It's starting to quiet down. I'll be approaching further."
As he says, EMIYA will move ahead to witness what is happening with his own eyes.
a Kilometer isn't that far off.
"Feel free to move with me."Can you see anyone Assassin?"Not yet."Moving closer and closer until he could tell we was about 400 feet Emiya would begin to come across a opening in the dark trees where a stream about chest deep began to run to the west.
There was the corpse of a cultist floating face down in it, crossbow bolts having punctured his back a dozen time.And then another corpse floated down as well, missing its arm and most of its head as well after it had been brutally hacked off. This one was horribly burnt as it began to float downstream.Should I check how they died?That may be best. The more we know about our enemy, the better we will be at fighting them.It would be hard to check the corpses if they were floating in the river, moving along quite quickly given this was a fast stream.Hu Tao upon inspection of the pair of corpses would easily tell that they had both been seemingly killed by a series of slashes, stabs, and a fatal case of crossbow bolt to the back of the head. The burns had seemingly only occured after death.
Yet the one who had died by crossbow bolt to the neck had something strange with his insides and even bones. They were both extremely heavy and hard, almost like they weren't bone at all and some kind of metal.Something seem off about their deaths, most of the mutilations were after they killed with the fatal injury being the bolts to the back of the dead
Their placement in the water is also wrong, they should be higher even with their missing limbs they seem to have had something done to their bones which made them denser. It looks like something mental is covering or replaced them?"..The Work of Mages, no doubt. I'm going to keep moving."
Whoever this culprit is, They must be further on ahead.
So The Assassin will keep moving forwards.I agree with Assassin. Though it seemed they were ambushed or were retreating, as the attacks were at the back of the head. We should stay alert, could also be the work of an Assassin class servant. said Penthesilea telepathically. She would then follow the Assassin, staying a bit back though.Continuing the move forward towards the scene of the carnage further upstream, the scent of burning corpses became stronger.
@Vormal/Asstolfo/Morban/Sword/Cat @[Serpon]Teno/Penth/Nico/Azu
They had both been dead less than five minutes.
@Sophie, Mary, Nito, Gorgon, BoudAssassin wait! They only died five minutes ago, their killers must be nearby still everyone be on Guard"I'll be fine."
He's an Assassin.
Unseen.
He's probably the only one of them that could get within breath range of their Enemies without detection.They would both come across a small dirt road across the forest with a bridge that ran across the stream. It was littered with destroyed carts alongside dead horses. About a dozen carts with twice the amount of dead horses. Besides the scene of the massacre there was a large pyre of cult corpses that was now burning in a raging fire.
Penth would detect close to twenty living humanoids scattered just off to the side of this massacre, all seemingly lying in wait in bushes.
The strangest part was, she could barely sense them. Like they were barely human.I am barely detecting about twenty humans, its like they are barely human. They seem to be waiting in the bushes, looks like they ambushed the enemy. I remember in the previous mission report, their were bandits who were attacking the cultist. Though it didn't say anything about magecraft or having mages. said Penthesilea as she relayed the information to her fellow servants."If you want to approach them, feel free to. I'll be staying hidden."I don't know what to do, should we try to go around them?They could be allies. Let's us try talking to them. I shall take the lead!Would it not be better to see who they are first before approaching? They were just in a fight it seems so they might be on edge and be quick to violence."Understood."
With that, Assassin will try to see if he can find those waiting in Ambush.
Stayin hidden, of course.True. said Penthesilea telepathically as she then waited for Assassin to scout ahead.I am not the best at talking so I shall leave that honour to you Berserker, I shall continue to hide behind several rocks until my medical knowledge is neededMoving forward Emiya was halfway across the road when he heard a deep throaty bark across the road. Like that of a dog or hound, but this time extremely deep as if it was coming out of a brass trumpet.
Suddenly an entire line of figures in heavy armour armed with bows and swords suddenly stand up out of the line of trees and bushes to take aim. (edited)
But they didn't fire or attack.
If anything one of them looked at another with a head tilt clearly conveying confusion."They have Dogs. Heavily Armored and Armed.""They don't know I'm here.""What the hell, Eòghann," one of the Knights with the sword said as he strode onto the street, barely a foot away in front of Emiya, "Get that dog under control, there's nothing out here."
Strangely enough his accent wasn't irish or anything similar to that."I'm telling you it can smell witchcraft," another yelled, "I mean it managed to smell the artifact from a mile away, come on. It's not that bad.""Accent isn't Irish, with a Hound that can sniff out Magecraft."
...That sounds very useful.
"Something about an Artifact."Assassin, should I approach and attempt to try to form an alliance or do you wish to scout more?"Do as you will. I'll be relaying more information as it comes up."I think we can wait a bit longer to gather some more intel on the enemy. I will be on standby for now.There were about twenty of them currently standing up through the bush and moving onto the road now, resuming moving more cultist corpses onto the pyres as if they had been interrupted.
Strangely enough from up close, Emiya would notice their armour had gold and silver trimming that they had tried to dull by rubbing on dirt. It was extremely fine pieces of armour, expertly forged.
"I'm telling you it smelt something," the two knights continued to argue, "A spell of some kind was cast not too far away. I'll bet it was the ones by the shore."
"Anyway we have our orders if we find them, not to harm them. The Patriarch says he has his own interests when it comes to them." "..Their Orders are not to harm those that were casting a Spell by the Shore. It might have been us."I did umm well perhaps maybe by chance sort of kinda, Casts a tiny itty bitty little spell by the shore. So it may of been us..."In that case, Diplomacy is on the Table. Berserker?""Anyway keep burning the bodies, no traces they can use to follow us. If anyone of these scum still breathes, slit their throats. Or better yet, let them just burn.""With any luck they'll chalk it up to bandits."Very well, I am more of a warrior then a diplomat but I am still a Queen. said Penthesilea as she would then start to make her way forward to the location of the soldiers. Once she could see them, she would speak in a loud voice though she would make sure it wasn't screaming. "Greetings, I am from Chaldea. I wish to talk diplomacy." said the Berserker class servant as she would slowly approach, trying to appear as non threatening as possible.Suddenly every single crossbow and sword was aimed at her.
A large man in black armour with silver trimmings held a massive greatsword at her. "Put down your weapons at once. All of them." (edited)"Well, well, well," one of the men in lighter leather armour strode forward, a crossbow resting over his shoulder with over fifty notches scratched onto it, "What do we have here?"
He looked her up and down with his crimson coloured eyes that looked sickly to Penth. "Ain't from these parts I gather, girly? Shouldn't you be in the taverns or backalley teashops?""And why do you think I would take you up on that?" the crossbowman said, "I've got up to twenty of the best men currently surrounding you and you think you have the right to ask questions?"I think you would break their wrists Berserker.I will hold back... a bit.The man laughed, "Listen, girl, you may have muscles and some honestly concerning lack of clothing given how cold the costal areas are these fair north, but as you can see all around here: I didn't win this battle fairly. I'm more then willing to talk. But on my terms. Which are you answer my questions and answer truthfully. After which, I may be willing to talk too."Oh no I've seen Eunuchs with more balls, I can fix them afterwards since they are clearly in need of humbling"Fíadh," the Knight in Black Armour spoke up, "Just stop it. We have our orders even if you don't like it.""You alone?" Fíadh asked."How many?" he gestured to the bushes and a man holding a leash began to drag something out of it. "Last chance for them to show themselves."The entire tree would shatter into splinters, raining down on the surrounding men, some of who exclaimed in surprise. Fire began to slowly spread through the trees and the forest.
Fíadh merely whistled out loud in amusement, "Destructive and stupid. Dangerous combination, but not surprising, when it comes to women." This remark made the Black Knight beside him sigh but Fíadh continued. "Also just drew a large amount of attention to us if the burning pyre of corpses hadn't. But you're most certainly what the Patriarch calls a servant. So I guess it's your turn with the question.""Had something we wanted. Didn't give it to us when we asked nicely, so we made a respectful response. Can't honestly say more then that or I'm dead." at the last sentence there was uncertainty in his voice. "I'm going to put this out here. Real hard to trust a woman when she has friends we can't see. For all I know one of your invisible friends has a knife to my throat. So a deal. I have my men stand down. Your friends show themselves."This leader isn't the smartest of the bunch. He is revealing the fact that he knows some of us are invisible and cannot be seen. Their leader who they take orders from may be watching. Still, I think it's best if we reveal ourselves. said Penthesilea telepathically to the other servants. "Very well, they are going to reveal themselves, now then put down your weapons." said Penthesilea as she agreed to their terms."Heard 'em boys," with that the twenty Knights and Crossbowmen sheathed their weapons.I do not trust this person a bit, this is likely a trap"Intresting," Fíadh remarked at seeing Emiya, "If I didn't know any better I could mistake you as one of my best hunters. Not a bad compliment."I'll trust your action berserker... Hua moved closer to the rest of the group keeping her hood up be making her presence known"You have a child with you?" he remakred at Hua Tao's height.
"So if I'm getting this right you're all with Chaldea. Each and every single one of you?"Five foot one is normal height right?"Adorable kid you got there, my lady," the Black Knight said.
"And the rest of you?" Fíadh asked. "Where might they be?" (edited)"I meant the rest of Chaldea, the Patriarch has a strong interest with your group.""Don't expect you to tell me where that is," he sighed. "Can you three be considered to represent Chaldea and it's interests?" (edited)"Not the way the Patriarch wants. And if we do it on this god forsaken island we'll draw more attention," Suddenly he frowned at Emiya's word.
"No." he mouthed. (edited)Go get them Assassin!I don't think he was lying about the mage at least but they are hard to readMoving backwards Emiya would find the target creeping through the trees.
Ninety feet out.
One figure in dirty blood-dried robes with earlobes tied around his neck on a string alongside two men in heavy red armour with halberds and an assortment of cultists in disheveled robes holding dagger numbering about six."Not now," Fíadh whispered as he made several signals. His men began to withdraw into the woods, "Clean them up and I'll tell you. You have to take this on your own. Cannot risk being spotted. I'll see if I can loop around some Hunters to assist you.""Three People. Two Armored."
"Another Six Cultists."
He also pulls a Grenade.
From what he knows-
These Cultists should be exterminated swiftly.Excellent work Assassin, we will reinforce your position. said Penthesilea telepathically as she would move in.The ten cultists were slowly advancing down the road, shrouded by a single mage casting magic over them.
The men with halberds also held whips as they moved forward.
They didn't notice the Assassin lurking in the shadows."BY THE LORDS WHAT THE HELL!?" one of the cultist shrieked before his head detonated into a million pieces.I umm does assassin even need our assistance? Hua listened in to the ongoing battle
Probably not but it's best to still assist them in battle. said Penthesilea as she would get ready to charge in."Reinforcements!" one of the halberd wielders shouted, "Send for reinforcements!""Never, not in the name of the Lords. For my faith is absolute and even in death, duty never ends!""Efficient" Fíadh suddenly appeared out of the bushes after sneaking up surprisingly close, "But we may want to move."
He gestured as suddenly as if on cue there was a mounsterous deep roar in the distance that shook the trees alongside the distant flapping of wings, "Unless you want a challenge of course."He grinned at Penthesilea, "So-so with that enforcer. Could have been a bit cleaner bout it.""Let's move. But first, the evidence." Fíadh aimed his crossbow at the group of corpses, suddenly the bolt turned a fiery purple before he released it into the corpse pile. There was a detonation and there was nothing left but bloody chunks of meat.
"Come on. We have a camp not too far away. Follow. If you can." he gestured for them to follow and began to speed right through the trees at an incredible rate, turning almost into a blur as he effortlessly dodged the difficult terrain.
@Game Ping 1Sooner or later moving so fast that telling where they were was starting to become difficult. Familiar landmarks disappeared into blurs and even time itself seemed to lag as it became hard to tell where they were now."Come on, you're servants," the man laughed, "Can't keep up with the average guy?""It's also doing the same to anyone who might follow us. With any luck they'll think we're Irish Rebels and give up."This feels like a trap. I do not like this. said Penthesilea telepathically to the others. She would then stop where she was, ignoring the man taunts. He also knows we are servants. That requires knowledge dedicated knowledge of magecraft. I believe it's best not to follow him. said Penthesilea telepathically again as she stop following the man and started back tracking.I agree, let’s fall back"I'll get a bit more information out of him, and join you.""The best Hunter on the continent, and assigned to this mission by the Supreme Patriach," he said in an almost playful tone, "If you really must know, let's say we aren't friends with the Clock Tower lords. At least not beyond the surface!""Hell I even work for one of the Lords, I can tell you that much!""Don't worry. Unlike the others, he doesn't want your head. If anything he wants your help!"I am unable to scan anything right now. This is likely enemy stronghold that is blocking out any sort of way to sense. said Penthesilea telepathically to the other servants.I really think we should fall backI do agree with that. We should meet on neutral ground. Let us mark this location on our maps, so a more prepared party can handle this."Really?" he stopped, somewhat surprised "Something I said? Been perfectly honest with you folk, I work with one of the Lords. But Chaldea would be best interested to see what he can offer to you folks."
"He's not a man that likes to be kept waiting after all.""I've already put a lot of trust in you lot by even approaching you without the intent to kill," he said, "And plus, it'd be mighty dangerous for my Patriarch to come all the way here, even with how powerful he is. After all... the brightest stars only attract the most attention." Caster hates Lords"Thought you Chaldean folks were braver than that," he said, "Shame to see you don't live up to your reputation. What would your Animusphere think if they heard of this?""Oh," he said, "Just you? I guess I have to take what I said back, at least from one of you."Caster, we may want to do some scouting, find out what let out that huge roar earlier. said Penthesilea as she wanted to get a bit more information. Things just seemed a bit too odd for her.Very well, I already said what I wanted, lets see what that wasI will enter spirit form and attempt to find it. You stay behind be ready to heal me if things go south. said Penthesilea as she would go to the previous location and attempt to find the source of the roar.Survival check from Hua and Penth to find their way back.Understood Hua once against cast a ward on Berserker Just in caseComing back to the road where this entire affair had started, the feral sense of Penth and the medical focused sensibilities of Hua Tao could already smell rotting flesh. A very rancid rotting flesh wafting through the trees coming from where the ambush had started. The trees at the moment were too thick to see where it was coming from.Moving forward Penth would see quite the scene. Two large beasts, a alchemic fusion of the forms of dead animals mashed together into one massive beast, binded together by foul magicks that even the most staunch Magus would hesitate at. Between them was a shrouded figure who spoke through cracked lips,
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust, all shall return to the Lords. Eat well my children. We have a hunt to continue for those who have wronged us," he said in a raspy desicated voice.
Got two Chimera and a magus here. While I would enjoy fighting them, it may be foolish without proper backup. Let us move to avoid them and head back. said Penthesilea telepathically. She would then move back to her fellow servant position.Understood let us move away and report this back to the base"Fan out," the faint voice of the man could be heard, "Take in all with your scent. The culprits must not be far with how eager you are to consume fresh flesh. Scour the coast if you must in case they have attempted escape by vessel. Any trace of any living thing! Feast on them in the name of the Lords!"They are trying to track us by scent. We should be careful. But yes let's go back to bade. said Penthesilea as she stayed in spirit form. She was sure they couldn't track her while she was like this but caster was still in material form.Understood, let us move quick yet quite Hua who had stuck back began to head back…
Hua stoped for a moment
Perhaps we cannot take them both but we might be able to deal with them separatelyOne of the beasts began to slowly take flight into the air, the beating of its wings ruffling the trees all around it.The other beast was still on the ground seeming to feast as the other began to fly away slowly.As the two waited the mage seemed to cast some sort of spell across the remaining Chimera.
"Not much longer, my child, not much longer till you may taste fresh writihing meat within your jaw," he proclaimed loudly and proudly.Should we take the Mage out first then? I will stick back and use my healing magecraft to support you.The beast grumbled and even roared once more.
The mage tuttered, "My Child, I know pain will come. But before the great paradise of virgins we have been offered, first must come a great suffering."Cull the weak first. From the reports, they get stronger from the more of them their are. So this tactic makes the most sense. Mage could also send a message if we don't kill him quickly. stated Penthesilea telepathically to Hua in agreement. With that she would get ready to charge in.Suddenly hearing a whisper, the Chimera growled causing the mage alongside it to turn around.
"Well, well" he chuckled through rotted teeth, "Come out and reveal yourselves. Maybe I will allow you to be redeemed under holy flagellation." Suddenly from the bushes a hail of arrowfire burst out, two bolts striking the berserker as a figure clad in black wielding crossbow and sword strode out.
"Death to the heretic, death to the blasphemer, death to the unbeliever!" it chanted at the top of its voice.
Meanwhile the Chimera lashed out, clawing and landing a massive bite on Berserker's arm!Suddenly as Hu Tao's spell was cast, the figure in the black coat's head suddenly cocked, turning disconnected to the rest of its flowing body.
His eyes locked with the Caster, bright red insane crimson eyes staring into hers.
"I AM THE BURNING LIGHT OF THE LORDS," it screamed, "I AM THE LIGHT THAT SHALL BURN AWARE THE IMPURE."
"REPENT REPENT REPENT REPENT!""BY THE HOLY LIGHT I CALL UPON THOSE WHO ARE WITH OUR SACRED CAUSE TO PURGE THESE UNCLEAN!" he let out in a roar, glowing green energies wrapping around him before bursting into a beacon.DEATH TO THE HERETIC, DEATH TO THE BLASPHEMOUS! DEATH TO THE UNBELIVER AND DEATH TO THE UNWORTHY! DEATH BY THE HOLY LIGHT OF THE LORD, HOLY ILLUSTRATION!"
"I SHALL CLEANSE THY DEPRAVED EXISTENCE!" he continued to fanatically shriek.I see more people approaching from down the Road, let's finish them off and then fall back."COWARDS! COWARDS!" it screamed, "FACE A AGENT OF THE HOLY ORDER IF YOU TRULY ARE THOSE CURSED WITH HERETICAL POWERS!!!!"Above there was the shriek of a Chimera as it began to fly just off the treetops.He is not worth it. While I would enjoy killing him, their is no honor in walking straight into a trap. Let us fall back, we should be able to out run them. said Penthesilea as she then fell back.Suddenly as they ran, they could both smell smoke. Looking back the entire horizon was starting to burst into flames and ambers cracked down. Fires. Deliberate fires to burn away the woodland."CURSED WOODLAND! YOU HAVE BEEN FOUND GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION TO THE HERETICAL SCUM! AS MY HOLY RETRIBUTION YOU SHALL BE CLEANSED FROM THIS EARTH. EVERY TREE SHALL BE UPROOTED AND EVER LEAF INCINERATED IN HOLY FIRE! FACE YOUR RIGHTEOUS JUDGEMENT IN THE NAME OF THE LORD-GODS! NOTHING WILL BE LEFT!"The voice was magically amplified so the entire wood for miles around could here it.Brought by wind and magical means, the fire began to truly rage, consuming at a terrifying pace, spreading as fast as a man sprinted.
Assassin, the forest is now on fire. It is spreading quickly, stay on guard. said Penthesilea as she continued to make her retreat. @Vormal/Asstolfo/Morban/Sword/CatOne of the Cultists set everything on fire becareful.Suddenly to their side as they retreated, Penth and Hu Tao could hear screaming and shouts for help coming from a corpse of trees that were already alit like roman candles.I will move in to rescue them said Penthesilea as she would go to the tree to try and save anyone there.Men in green robes with bows seemed to stagger from the smokey ruins as the fires raged all around them.
Suddenly one of the trees exploded, the stored moisture inside it erupting out from the intense heat. A wave of splinters whirled in all direction for a dozen meters. Half a dozen men were cut down by the sharpnel.Suddenly there were at least half a dozen men screaming as the splinters had terribly wounded them. At least one was missing his legs, chopped clean off by a whirling piece of bark. Another had been blinded, his eyes pouring rivers of steaming blood as he clawed at them."Thank you, thank you!" one of the green-robed men said, "But back there! There are tunnels! Our stock of food and weapons will be burnt!""We'll strave! The heretics already control our farmland!" another one cried.The man would point here in the general direction but even through the smoke it was hard to find.All she had were burning trees all around her.
An inferno.
An all too familiar blazing inferno.For a moment Penth could see in front of her a wooden hatch in the ground whose grass coverings had been thrown off.Meanwhile the green-robed men and women had gathered around Hu Tao, unsure of where to go in this inferno.Already several around Huao were starting to become burnt again while others where choking on the thick black smoke.It would be hard for Hu Tao to find a way out too, the fire was growing and so was the choking smoke.Penth would be able to carry several crates with her, carefully balancing them above her."The flames are too thick!" a woman cried."Asrie asrie asrie atabae alfata!" one of the men spoke in a tongue that the translator had a hard time catching up with, leading the group to follow Hua Tao.Suddenly through a break in the flames Hu Tao spotted the running river, flowing downstream towards the coast.Finally reaching the river the men and women quickly doused themselves and their burns, moving instinctively downriver to get away from the flames.Slowly they made their way to the coast. Finally cleared of soot they were dressed in green robes. But these were arabic robes and none of them looked like they were native with their darker than usual skin.
"Thank you, thank you!" a man with a long white beard that was not insignificantly singed walked up to Hua Tou. "We owe our lives to you and God." (edited)"For some reason it seemed our wounds and burns healed in that most desperate moment. It was as if Allah was watching over us personally," the elder one said, "We should be able to help our own but your assistance would not go without thanks. But you have done so much for us already leading us through fire and flames.""Not anymore. We were forced to live deep in the forests after those lunatics attacked our settlements and defiled our places of worship before driving us here to scrape a meager living in hiding." he sighed, "After the long voyage from Spain to the mainland we had thought the worst was over. But at the very least your kindness was a small respite that saved all our lives.""Thank you," he said, "I don't think I introduced myself, I am Ibrahim. I took it upon myself to look after my fellows after the disaster when the man in the black coat attacked our farms."All the while, finally the raging fires continued to rage. (edited)"If there's anything we can do to thank you, please tell us. We are a people of little but we want to give something to those who saved our lives.""And most of what we have has little value left after our farms were burnt. We could do with the lighter load we have to carry."Quickly the gate would open and the guards would quickly let them in,
"It's the people from the South!" one of them cried, "I thought they had been totally wiped out!""Get them what extra food we have and some blankets. It'll start getting cold tonight. Waves crashing on the shoreline.
Walls of mists being thrown up from the black rocks.
The coast of Northern Ireland is a freezing place, wrapped around the outermost reaches of the Lord of Growths domain. It's so desolate here it even seems to escape their grasp.
All around the coastline are rolling cold dune of sand and thin grass alongside precariously tall cliffs slowly being eroded by the shrill wind shrieking. There is nothing taller than a bush for miles around, everything is exposed to the mercy of the gale force winds.
A thin drizzle is coming down, stinging any exposed skin.
You three have come here for the Isles of Man to search for an item that could be destroyed at any moment. With you are three Knights in shrouded in black robes with all insignia erased already exhausted from the long march up here.
And in the distance as the long march continues, a pillar of smoke appears to the north seemingly not more than a dozen miles away.
"That can't be good..." one of the Knights stated the obvious.
One of the Knight-Rangers took out a map from his knapsack, shielding his eyes as he stared at the smoke pillar.
"It's not in the direction of the Giant's Causeway but it's close enough to be in the area."
He showed everyone the rudimentary map. His finger traced a point that was about twenty kilometers south of the Causeway.Each of the Knights carried a crossbow, "We can do that well enough, my Lady."Moving fast across the irish countryside, on the way they would find piles of stones and outcroppings all in a circles, many overgrown.
"Fairy Circles," one of the Knights said, "The remnants of what the Fae left behind when they fled our domain."
But the closer and closer they got to the smoke, almost two miles out as they came in from the east, they spotted several of these fairy forts demolished. They had been hacked apart by a massive bludgeoning force before being burned to a crisp. Several fires were still burning but there was still the massive pillar of smoke in the distance. (edited)"This is a grave sacrilege," one of the Knights said, his voice thick with a celtic accent, "Even some Lords do not dare to violate these places."They were in a place of hedgerows and of rolling hills. The hedgerows, brushes, and shrubbery were starting to get so close that is was cutting line of sight to no further then fifty feet in the best of places.
There were narrow passageways that would continue to take them north to the causeway while the still larger pillar of smoke still lay to their northwest.Meanwhile crows and other black birds began to circle above the burning fairy forts.
"An ill-omen," one of the Knight-Rangers noted.Lytus would notice even from below there were something wrong with these birds above. Some of them were swollen and bloated, flapping their wings with great efforts as feathers fell from them with each beat. As far as she noted in her short time here, none of these birds looked particularly native. In fact they didn't seem like any birds he had seen before.
Some had started to shadow the group from several hundred feet above.
@RJ|Sir L/Lytus/Dude/Wolf/-/- (edited)The birds started to drift away as they lost the trail. An hour was almost past when everyone caught the smell of smoke in their nostrils.
"By the Patriarch!" one of the Rangers aid in a hushed whisper. In the distance to the west -where the larger smoke pillar was - a wall fire was rapidly beginning to spread through the hedgerows at an extremely unnatural speed. It was advancing as quickly as a running man and was threatening to place itself between the party and the Causeway.
"DO NOT THINK YOU CAN EVADE ME THROUGH YOUR FOUL WITCHCRAFT!" a enhanced voice boomed throughout the landscape, "EVADE AS LONG AS YOU WISH! THERE WILL BE NOTHING TO HIDE IN BLACKENED VEGETATION AND ASH WHEN I AM DONE."
"That's the inquisitor," remarked one of the Knight-Rangers."It'll be close, and we'll have to be in the open." he said, rapping a piece of wet cloth around his nose. "Just have to hope that the smoke blinds the crows as well.""What about us?" one of the Knight-Rangers said."All of us on one horse?" the one with the celtic accent asked confused. "That's a big horse.""Get on boys," all three of the Knight-Rangers went to mount the horse, but it was going to be though for the third one to hold on."
"It's now or never," he said as the horse began to reluctantly trot towards the wall of advancing fire.Moving fast the three would go through fire and flames. Lytus would be able to spot the way through with her unparalleled sense of direction keeping them through even through the choking black smoke.
There was something about this smoke. It was acidic and was quickly burning the lungs of everyone. The three Knight-Rangers despite their mouth protection were starting to cough violently as tears welled in their eyes. The horse also seemed to stumble every steps, its eye bloodshot.
Even it seemed to hurt the trio...While Ciel and Lytus fought off the burning sensation it began to overwhelm Nicolo. It was starting to char her throat and lungs. It burnt its way up her nostrils and every opening.
Tears and discharge came to well in her eyes, blinding her to seeing anything more then ten feet in front of her. If she kept going on her own she could very easily lose her way.
One of the men couldn't take it anymore and dropped limped from the horse, crashing onto the ground and laying too still.The horse was really struggling at this point and so were the two men still riding it.
"I can't see here the Archer is!" one of the men shouted hoarsely, "Can't see a damn thing with my eyes stinging in this smoke.The smoke was gone with her eyes and she could now find Lytus leading the way.
But the two Knight-Rangers and the horse were rapidly being left behind in the smoke.
The one that had collapsed to the ground couldn't been seen by anyone in fact by now. (edited)Moving quickly through the smoke they finally came to the other side as the fire was now traveling away from them, leaving a trail of blackened and burned landscape behind it.
Still coughing hard the two Knight-Rangers dismounted the exhausted horse.
"We lost Penulster back there." the celtic one finally hacked out after spitting wads of black soot from his mouth."All you'll do is fetch his corpse I'm sure," the Knight-Ranger pointed back, "He was a friend. I've fought alongside him for years... but... I mean look at that. There's no way he could have lived.""As the Patriarch commanded, we will get you that artifact whatever the cost." he saluted with a fist to his chest, "Even if we must all die to do so."
Soon the two remaining Knights would say they were ready to move on.The land in front was much more desolate as they came closer to the cliffs. Less vegetation and rolling hills, just a gradual incline as they got closer and closer to the northern cliffs. They would be out in the open from all directions the closer they got.
But they were close enough to hear the crashing of waves against a sea wall."There's a settlement another mile away," one of the Knight-Rangers said, "A fairly small fishing hamlet. I have no idea what's it's current situation after the invasion but decent trade came through here. That's where the Patriarch last heard of the concucupa being."Meanwhile, in the distance, Lytus spotted the birds again. But they didn't seem like they had spotted the party yet. But over this open exposed ground there was little doubt they would soon.
@RJ|Sir L/Lytus/Dude/Wolf/-/-They were five hundred feet up but there was easily about two dozen of them in a swarm.Suddenly four arrows streak through the skies, three striking down the birds.Meanwhile, Ciel literally turns five of them to red mist.The few surviving birds of the massacre fled above and far away in their panic. It seemed unclear if they had spotted the group or not."But they won't be daring to look over us anytime soon."Another hour of making it through the grasslands until finally, as the last of the black smoke and mist began to part away the coastline became clear with a small alcove of humble fishing hamlets about two more miles away.
@Game Ping 1
But it didn't seem they could go an hour without any trouble because Lytus began to feel vibrations under his feet coming from the ground. Rhythmic and to a heavy beat, he instantly recognized it as the footfalls of horses. A lot of horses.
It was coming from the North-West and coming fast. He couldn't exactly tell the direction it was going though at the moment.
@RJ|Sir L/Lytus/Dude/Wolf/-/-The first thing that they would see, racing across the plains and the coastline was something black moving fast. As it came closer to 2 miles, it was clear that it was a horde of black horseman. Many of them carried torches and long spears in their hand. Even from this distance the wind carried their hoots and hollers. There were about forty of them.
Judging from their direction they were heading directly for the village.
They would be there in fifteen minutes.The first thing that they would see, racing across the plains and the coastline was something black moving fast. As it came closer to 2 miles, it was clear that it was a horde of black horseman. Many of them carried torches and long spears in their hand. Even from this distance the wind carried their hoots and hollers. There were about forty of them.
Judging from their direction they were heading directly for the village in a parallel line from the shore.
You have fifteen minutes before they reach the town.
"They'll burn it," Knight-Ranger Levin said.
@Game Ping 1Moving quickly the five heroes raced forward over the fields. The horsemen seemed for the first half of the distant ignorant towards the group before five of them began to peel off the main group heading for the town. These five, now clear as day were heavily armoured Knights of sort. Their ceramic helms were carved in the image of a leering skull with blood red eyes. The steeds they galloped on were black creatures full of festering wounds being pushed to their limits.
These charging five let off a terrifying howl as they charged forwards over the open fields. (edited)
The five horsemen began to spread out in a concave, like a jaw opening to prepare to snap. They seemed to be aiming to stay out of range of normal bows before closing in the trap. They were all about a hundred feet out each.
They weren't attacking yet.
@Game Ping 1They were starting to form a solid circle around the group before one Knight would trot forward slowly, sheathing his sword.
"Answer me, he called out." he said in a low baratone voice that carried over the fields, "Who may you five be?""We serve the Inquisitor who is doing what is needed to subjugate this island of heretics." it spoke. "Now we have proved our righteous nature. Answer my query or die by my Holy Blade."
@Game Ping 1Meanwhile behind the horseman the posse of horses was still thundering towards the town.Master, we must act sooner rather than later."The Inqusitor follows the Lords."
It gazed at Hippolytus.
"Heretics then. No better than the false Apostles." it drew it's sword.The raven would have to appear somewhere within sixty feet.The bird would appear hidden amongst the tall grass behind Rider 2."Then we'll have to wrap this up as fast as we can. Judas!" it gestured to a Knight, "Return to the main group and inform the inquisitor. We will clean this up." (edited)One of the Knights quickly ran back to the town.
"Finish them off at once! There's no time to waste!"And began to charge forward.Ciel would see that the Knight before her was one that was nothing more than a human in heavy armour. It seemed to have been built for the sake of going in light rather than heavy engagements. And compared with the rest of the Knights was a bit more sloppy getting its mount to move, suggesting that it was among the weaker of the larger posse of Knights.
Now extend that to the rest of the group if they allowed such slopiness.The rider of a horse was knocked clean off his mount, black keys bleeding off it's wounds.
At the same time Knight-Ranger Levin loosed two arrows from his longbow but found them bouncing off the thick armour of the Knights.Despite it's rider being slain one of the horses charged forward to still attack in a mad rage!But then dropped dead as it exploded with a shower of gore."This battle is against us," the lead Knight growled. "The rest of you retreat and gather the rest to ride down these brats. I shall hold the rest off."
Suddenly his sword glowed with a bright blue light, "Faith shall be my shield."Barreling forward this glowing Knight charged Ciel singing hymns on his breath. "As if my loyalty to the Gods, I shall vanquish your unholy presance on this world."
@[Serpon]Teno/Penth/Nico/Azu
The hooves of the horse came descending downwards against the side of Ciel's head as the Knight thrust it's lance forward.It's Lance grew brighter, "Very well,"Hippolytus arrow would slaughter the maddened horse and the one after would lodge itself carefull between the ever-so small gaps in the armour of the Knight. The fourth and final headed for the eyeholes of its helmet but at the last possible moment it raised it's shield and deflected the arrow away, though a deep gouge was left in the shield from the action."Impossible!" drawing his sword back, despite the Black keys sticking of his body the last Knight standing made to decapitate Ciel once and for all. (edited)Ahead the first Knights seemed suddenly at the head of the messenger to stop before turning about quickly and fleeing in the direction they had come from, leaving a traumatized but intact fishing village left.
The fishing village itself despite its small size was very well built with a low wall encircling it with several gates leading inside. It was mostly built of stone with huts and the like all centered around a large stone church in the middle of all of it.
At it's coast were wooden docks heading out into the swollen sea with boats lashed against it creaking and whining.
At the wall a bunch of militia drawn from residents that could grab whatever weapon they could find - butchers knives, spears, and clubs - collectively breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of the fleeing horsemen.
"Who might you be!" one of the older ladies wielding a butcher knife was the first to call out from the wall. "Were you the ones who chased those backwater Briton savages away?""Eh?" she cupped her ears as if hard of hearing, "Chaldea? Like those Chaldea Devils those Britons keep talking about?"
"Well if they're those devils then their at least enemies of our enemies," another younger male Guard called out. "What are they here for if not to save us?"The guards disappeared from the walls murmuring loudly before the old lady popped up, "We don't have it. If you have any sense to you Chaldea you'll leave now. We can handle ourselves."Ranger-Knight Levin muttered in response, "The intelligence has to be sound, it's here.""We would have dealt with them in our own way. Now leave," the old lady continued to shout.Worry seems to grip the womans face, "You killed those five Knights that split off from the group didn't you?""Please just leave." she cried, "We don't have what you want here. But if you attempt to come any closer, we will defend our town.""Enough talk!" the younger Guard shouted, "The gates of this town is barred to all strangers! If you dare then we'll resist and bite in self-defense!"Master... If you'll allow me...I might have a less... Troublesome solution.Do as you see fit."Never! We will bleed for every inch!" the young Guard shouted despite the other villagers trying to drag him down and hush him.The Young Guard broke free of the hands of the others and draw back the string of a longbow, "ONE MORE STEP!" he warned.Faltering for a moment at Hippolytus handsomeness the Guard wavered on the bow, "Friends..." his eyes glazed over, "Yes maybe."
He lowered the bow."The old Church in the town center-" then he halted himself as the effects of the Charm began to ware off. His eyes went wide with shock as he raised the bow again. "WHAT WAS THAT WITCHERY?!"The Young Guard eyes glazed over, "The Cornucopia. It was given to use by divine will from Briton. He had given it to us to serve as a demonstration that the Gods willed us to resist. He had such a nice brass voic-"
Suddenly blood began to seep from his eyeducts and nose in sudden torrents and he began to scream loudly, clutching his head as he fell to his knees.
There was a loud "pop" sound that came from inside his skull. (edited)That was not me."What the-" the Knight-Rangers shouted in shock as a audible gasp game from the onlookers on the wall."He mentioned the sacred name!" the old lady wailed. "And the Gods punished him for it!"The onlookers on the wall seemed to afraid to come out and there was an audible "click" sound at the gate as it was latched shut.According to Ciel this man had suffered a sudden and extremely violent stroke that had destroyed everything inside his skull. It seemed to have been internal so it was likely from a curse placed some time ago."The Lord and saviour Jesus Christ!" another shouted indignantly. "It seems we're the only ones who still have faith despite all this heresy around us.""Greek or latin?" they shouted."Oh and are they those dirty Frankish blasphemers?" another shouted.The group on the wall dipped back down to murmur again deeply before rising up again,
"As far as we're concerned the woman with yellow hair killed Henri." the old lady spoke, "We didn't want to escalate so fast and he did not speak for us. He even dared to speak of the man who gave us such a gift even though we were under divine oath not to. But it was witchcraft that forced him to say it. How can you standing followers of Jesus Christ tolerate such heresy?""What even is this Burial Agency?" the old lady angrily shouted, "Is it another branch of blasphemers God should have struck down long ago?" (edited)"Oh Lords," Knight Ranger Caenis shook his head and murmured, "I'm grateful to worship the Patriarch instead of whatever diety you two do."More murmuring, before they rose up over the wall again. "Well the witch still has to answer for her crime of murder of Henri!""Maybe he did not know and had no ill-intention," an older man suddenly appeared with a walking stick. He had a long grey beard a unibrow that almost covered his eyes, "But a death still occurred even after we told you to leave us in peace. You two may be heralds of Jesus Christ, but you allow witchcraft to walk amongst them while following this strange cult called the Burial Agency. It is clear then why we treat you with such reluctance and suspect."
"So I shall ask the question none of my compatriots dare to ask: "why do you desire to have the cornercopia?"" (edited)"And what would that do to our beloved cornercopia?""My question still remains standing. What will this attempt to repair your legacy do to the most sacred item in our village?""We're wasting time," Ranger-Knight Levin spoke lowely to Hippolytus, "If you and your Master can keep them talking me and Caenis be able to scale the wall and eliminate the guards at this gate. It'll be easy from there to get the artifact." (edited)Master... Our allies suggest we act as a distraction whilst they take care of the guards. Your opinion?"But you do not know what will happen to the cornercopia. I do not think you understand how valuable it is to us. As valued as your legacy is to you, so is the cornercopia to us by ten times," the old man spoke."Is it not better to resist the heretics as much as we can in the name of what we love, than to simply hand to over to its assured destruction at your hands?""If your master won't give the order we will," Levin continue whispering to Hippolytus, "We have our own orders from the patriarch.". . . Hm.Teacher, Hippolytus."But you would still use the cornercopia for your own means which I suspect will assure it's destruction."Apparently, the Patriarch has their own interests."We aren't in a rush at the moment, lets talk it out before things go bad." said Ciel telepathically before focusing on the others. "It will be transformed, a weapon used by the Church to kill heretics. In addition, you all will be at a safe land, where you can live your lives normally.""Again it is a gift." he shook his head, "Imagine a loved one you have. Maybe even one amongst you, maybe that one." he pointed at Theano, "Would you slaughter that one to have a minor weapon?"Levin made a nod at Caenis who began to slip into the bushes near the wall. "I still have my orders. Caenis will simply scout a possible crossing point if it has to be done.""To us. It is valued as such."Levin made a nod at Caenis who began to slip into the bushes near the wall. "I still have my orders. Caenis will simply scout a possible crossing point if it has to be done."
"Do you see yourself as so great that your family legacy can single-handedly turn the tide so easily?"Levin made a nod at Caenis who began to slip into the bushes near the wall. "I still have my orders. Caenis will simply scout a possible crossing point if it has to be done."
He narrowed his eyes at Lytus, "Remember the fact we are allies. This mission would not happen without the Patriach's blessing. We are doing this to serve your Master and to reclaim her power at any cost. To be honest, these villagers are worthless compared to the power your Master could regain as a result of gaining her Magic Crest back. We can even keep casualties in a minimum if needed.""Then what is it about this power that makes it so worth it? What is it capable of to be willing to sacrifice the only reason we have to live in this dark age? The only thing that brings us hope."
@Andle | Cam, Ib, RachHe closed his eyes for a long moment deep in thought. The Villagers seemed to regard this elder with great respect."I would allow it only if this entire village and its people was able to observe what is being done to our scared item to bring back this legacy of yours. We will have the ability to put a stop to it if we find it not to our liking the methods you use.""This is a bad deal," Levin murmured, "Just asking for them to backstab us later or take it back before we even come close to getting back your magic crest."I'll be blunt.They aren't worth it.This deal sounds good to me.I'm extremely hesitant.It sounds like some kind of a set-up.Perhaps but I think we can brute force our way out if thing get bad.. . . I'll trust you on this.He looked backwards before turning around and holding what appeared to be a white conch shell in his hand with overflowing fruits of the harvest filling it up.
"That's it," Levin said.
"Where it goes. We shall follow," the elder spoke, "And it shall be always in my hand and within my gaze unless I give my consent.""We shall follow. Where would you have it brought then," The elder didn't hand to to Nicolo, keeping it in his grasp.. . ."We shall pack and my entire village will follow you."Upon the wind swept naked shores of Eastern Ireland, the white waves crashed against the rocks throwing up curtains of spray quickly chilling the bone. This is an inhospitable land where not even the starving scavengers dare come. As with the Northern Isles when it comes to Ireland and England, the weather of course is always terrible.
You all have received the message from your Golden Benefactor to the strange happenings on the Isle of Man. He has simply left you with a simple suggestion to check the happenings on at the port of Douglas but has mentioned that the other settlements on the isles may prove fruitful. In addition to providing a map with the message he has also arranged for transport. Though of course with the illusive figure, there is always a complication.
The wind continues to wail...
You eventually find this complication. A dinghy sailboat with rough tattered sails and two oars for emergency propulsion with a hand-guided rudder pushed up the Irish shore. It's hull was a patchwork of leather hides and haphazard planks of wood nailed to seal what could be over a decade of damage.
A single man swallowed in a thick woolen coat is standing by it with a sack over his shoulder, clearly not pleased standing out in the open of the drizzling rain.
@Game Ping 1
By this time however the man had noticed them bickering. He turned around with a thick bushy beard that surely had something covered in it with a weather beaten face and eyes hidden under thick eyebrows.
"Hell's bells, teuk ye folks lang enough tae reach 'ere. A've bin sittin` 'ere chankin' under mah bleachers become solid wi' ice. Bit at least ye'r 'ere." he looked at the trio as he spoke in a strong accent, "Tis juist ye three?"
"Can't speak basic English? is this what Patriarch Sourd pat me up wi'? bah, ah kin deal wi' this. Ah mean ah hae tae deal wi' th' bloody Irish heathens, help ma God! And I hae tae blather wi' they heathens if ye wid hawp it." he spoke through his strong accent as he reached inside his boat to carry out a cage full of crayfish and other deep-ocean odities.
"Anyway, a'm juist 'ere tae gie ye th' boat sae ye kin git tae th' island. Yin o' ye at least knows how tae sail a boat richt?" (edited)"They twa wummin wi' ye? Eh jimmy, ye'r a jammy laddie." 
"Dinnae ye dare say that, pointy ear woman. This is th' finest boat in a' the isles. Bin wi' me mah entire lee. 'twas mah faithers 'n' his grandfather afore him. Sure it micht be a bit rickety but tis th' best! " the fisherman said to Semiramis.
"Lik' ah asked earlier, ony o' ye know how tae sail?"
@Game Ping 1
"Then how come come a' th' wey oot here?" he pouted at Xu Fu before turning to Shirou.
"O'h soonds guid enough. A've git business oan th' shore." he reached into the boat and handed Shirou the oar, "'ere, tak' this. Juist keep heading east 'n' ye'll skelp th' island in na time. Don't worry about getting lost. Something streenge aboot th' Isle o' Man. Ships always seem tae fin' thair way thare even when lost... "
He rolled his eyes at Semiramis, pointing up the coast. "Ye'r free tae use th' ships up north docked near belfast. Bit since they're controlled by th' enemy ye micht get noticed on the way in." (edited)
"All th' folks ye'v bin killing 'n' butchering. Cults of the Clocktower Lords."
@Game Ping 1
"Ye live under a rock? chaldea's bin waging a war against th' Clock Tower 'ere fur a while now. Very messy."This is a singularity.
The voice of Xu Fu rung out in Shirou's head.
Roughly set in the 12th century. The Clocktower is corrupted by a Demon God Pillar I believe.He handed Shirou the oar and gave him a pat on the back. "That's th' spirit laddie! Now I better be gaun. Just keep going east and you'll get there."He began to waddle off inland.
Surprisingly there was actually a dry seat she could find.
Ready to push off?Everyone could fit easily.The seas were rough that day and the ever present drizzle didn't seem to cease. Rolling waves slammed against each other and rocked the boat yet it didn't seem to capsize despite the elements battering it. Eventually the monotony of just heading east began to warp everyone's sense of time. It would become hard to remember how long it had been since they had set out.
If one had brought with them a way to tell time such a watch, they would have found them non-functional.
Suddenly after what seemed like eternity or maybe just a minute, a heavy fog began to roll in across the sea, about to envelope the boat.
This surely wasn't natural.
Soon the fog had almost surrounded them. It was so thick that you couldn't see further than 50 feet in front. This fog had a strange smell to it though... like lavender and spices hanging on the air that crept into the nostrils like tempting wisps.Casting the spell Xu Fu could tell for sure this fog was artificial, created purely through magecraft... but there was something about this fog that spoke to it being even older. Maybe even from the Age of Gods simply revived or somehow brought all the way here. It was like the spell Fog Cloud but on a massive scale.
@Andle | Cam, Ib, RachCasting the lights, Semiramis would however find that this fog cloud seemed to be thicker than expected, her lights quickly being swallowed up by its soupy vastness.Tasting the air, the fog would be rather sweet to the taste. Like sugar water if one could describe it.Strangely enough this fog seemed to appear on the Ethereal Plane as well... that shouldn't be possible, Xu Fu would know.
This fog was not natural you two already knew that.
But upon examination you would figure out that this fog seemed to warp one's sense of time and perception, making it impossible to figure out how much time had passed since they had entered. It also warped the sense of direction too, always forcing whoever piloted the boat to place it due east without them even knowing they were being forced. It would lead them on some sort of pre-designated path.
And since the Lord's held control over this island like the message stated...
Xu Fu wrenched the ship off direction it was heading, or did it? It didn't seem to be clear but gradually it seemed that the effects began to slowly wear off.
But the seas got violently stormy soon enough, throwing the boat around as it went through a thick fog where you could barely see anything. Bolts of lightning flashed through the fog alongside the roar of crashing waves and the chest-shaking shrieks of thunder.
Suddenly. 80 feet in front of the boat, seen only from white foam crashing against it everyone would be able to see a outcropping of black rocks sticking out of the ocean.
Right in front of them.
In such treacherous waves, even Shirou's strength against the Rudder didn't seem to shift the boat...
the rocks got closer.Shirou had one last chance as he struggled against the oar. Mere seconds left! Would the Hero of Justice manage to wrench the boat on time?
@Game Ping 1
So close that there was an agonizing scream as the side of the boat scraped against the rock. Parts of it sheared off but they had made it... barely.
After passing the rocks the fog seemed to now dissipate further until in what seemed like seconds it had all but faded, revealing the coastline.
A wide coastline with a long beach and cliffs in the distance. Compared to the merciless oceans it was pristine and idyllic now, though the ever-present drizzle still continued. To the distance were tall cliffs and from the sandy coastline about a hundred feet up was a large treeline that stretched for miles around.
The worst seemed to be over.
The shore here was fairly open in all direction for a long while.Looking at the map it would be figured out they had landed here.
@Game Ping 1
A brief look around from the Queen would reveal to her that there was a well trodden road at the edge of the forest that moved parallel to the coast.The boat was battered and bruised, but somehow the boat was seaworthy with no breaches in the hull.
1
Walking down the long road south, after around a kilometer of walking and as the sun began to set over the horizon to the west, Semiramis would see in the long distance (around two kilometers ahead of her) what seemed to be figures on the road walking towards her.She could guess there were around ten to maybe fifteen of them? But the brief amounts of fogs and the foliage around made it harder unless she took a harder look.Moving around the group Sumire would see more clearly this was a group of military spearmen marching down the road while singing hymns and chanting. There were twelve of them to be exact, each were decently armoured with half-plate and each carried a spear with them. Between them they were escorting a large four-wheeled cart with a veiled palliquine upon them. Semiramis would recognize that this was something that would likely be used to transport important individuals.
Soon they had passed her and she was free if she wished to continue on towards Peel Castle.
In the few seconds she had to catch a glimpse as she passed by the sidelines, Semiramis would see within the carriage viels was a fat plump hand reaching into a bowl of grapes and fruit before devouring it in the with the most horrific sound she had ever heard.In an attempt to quickly teleport, Semiramis would find just as she began to cast the spell, a strange barrier was in her way. Her magecraft spell did not waste her mana, it just fizzled out before she could fully cast it.Suddenly a black orb engulfed the patrolling group, maddening screams and shrieks of pain quickly spread through as several men dropped to the ground clutching their heads while others ran in multiple directions. A single man on the ground suddenly turned pale as his chest threw itself upwards to the sky before he went completely still, the experience of seeing the horrors Semiramis had unleashed causing a heart attack.
The cart skirted to a halt as men broke and began to run. A meaty hand appeared out of the gap to sweep aside the viel, his very first step as he exited the cart shaking the ground. He was nearly two and a half meters tall, extremely heavyset, and clad in white robes from head to two. Between his arm he held a massive black book that was as big as Semiramis' torso.
And the entire time he had a dead look to him, blank eyes as he looked around in curiosity.
"Is this... witchcraft..." he muttered softly but loud enough for the witch to hear.
Suddenly Semiramis would hear the man begin to sniff the air."This smell.""This is not a curse given by the Gods, but one that has been casted upon us in cowardly ambush..."He took in a heavy scream before bellowing out at the top of his lungs at such volumes that it literally echoed at every inch of the island, even reaching Xu Fu's camp.
"THERE ARE HERETICS ON THESE BLESSED ISLE. MEN OF THE GODS, TODAY YOU HAVE FAILED TO ALLOW THEM TO HAVE SULLIED THESE LANDS. BUT YOUR REDEMPTION IS AT HAND! BRING ME THEM STILL BREATHING AND I SHALL GRANT WHOEVER DOES SO AN ENTRANCE TO PARADISE!"Moving quickly Semiramis would arrive back at the hamlet.
Night fell soon enough and in the distance cresting over the hill the trio from their hamlet would see torches begin to appear.
Fifteen minutes maybe.
"A PLACE OF WORSHIP FOR THAT FALSE IDOL!" the large heavyset man screamed as he saw Yu's statue. "I WILL PERSONALLY TEAR THAT HERESY DOWN AND DESTROY IT UNTIL IT IS NAUGHT BUT ASH!"
With him were around a dozen men that they could see so far.
"CHARGE! BURN THAT PLACE TO THE GROUND!"
Shirou's alarm would suddenly trip, sending warning signals through his head as five men began to charge down the only remaining road.The others shouted in frustration as they found their ways blocked by XuFu's plants.Three men screaming at the top of their lungs ran forward with reckless abandon of their lives. One ran further than the rest while the two following close behind him drew their crossbows and fired a pair of bolts at Xufu and Shirou respectfully.
They whislted as they flew through the air.
@Andle | Cam, Ib, Rach @Yom | Billy the KidA man moves through Semiramis' area.
A moment later there is no man.
Instead everyone around him is suddenly covered in wet thick blood.
The spot where he had been is merely a splatter of his fluids.And then another explodes. This time less cleanly and slowly.
He begins to scream as his body begins to swell up, his eyes bulging out of his sockets as he desperately claws at them.
Before, like using a pin on a water balloon....
He bursts."Oh gods! What witchcraft is this?" one of the men frantically cried out."No! No! No!" the soldier tried to wipe off the poison from his skin.
Only for his skin to completely slough off exposing his bone.
"no..."
was his final words before he melted into nothing more than a slushy red puddle, seeming to only stop screaming when his lungs had dissolved.
"Hmph!" came a huff alongside the thudding of heavyset feet onto the little hamlet. The figure was easily twice as tall as the contingent spearmen marching alongside him down the road. He gently swept aside the hood of his flawless white robes to reveal a head more akin to an egg than anything else. He was utterly bald with not a single follicle of hair on his lean skull.
In his right hand he held a massive book with chains wrapped around it and a steel cover.
"Those were unworthy to go to Paradise! It seems that I must see to the destruction of this unholy site in person."
Slowly he began to advance...One of the soldiers quickly seized a torch from his fellow comrades, running towards the building nearby and preparing to light a flame."Burn in holy fire!" the soldier yelled."What hazards placed in the way of my fine men." the preist frowned as the book around his hands began to glow yellow from an energy emanating within.He stopped right before the radius of Semiramis' spell before looking up and staring at Shirou with a blank gaze in his eyes.
"You, boy," it called his attention with his deep bartone voice, "Why do you resort to witchcraft such as that?""The reason one must debauch themselves to this level always matter," he continued with his calm voice, "This must be ravaging your body. I know it must.""That clearly there is a reason you would go to such lengths for this power, even at the cost of your own soul," the Priest continued, "What is it for? Wealth? Fame? Glory? The bloodlust of combat? Or is it because you have those or maybe even one that you care for. Someone who you would stoop to such levels for?"
The sky cracks open, a massive chasm of blinding light opening for all to see for hundreds of miles around...
before the very wrath of the Gods is displayed as fiery lances strike from the sky towards each of the spearmen on the ground.
The very last thing on their faces is abject horror as they look up. Before they are literally atomized into nothing more than dust.
The eastern edge of the hamlet is utterly flattened, windows shattering and walls collapsing from the massive shockwave that nearly knocks the three of you over.
What is left is four craters in the sand that have been turned to glass from the impossible heat.
And still standing is the priest.
"This..." he breathes heavily, his robes turn in several places with a cut on his skull pouring down blood, "WILL NOT BE ACCEPTABLE!"
Suddenly muttering a prayer before his words the witchcraft of the Queen ended and the suddenly burst forward with incredible speed, rage on his face as he charged at Shirou.
"SUCH WITCHCRAFT TO DESTROY MY MOST LOYAL MEN WITH YOUR HERESY! THOU SHALL PAY"The book in his hand began to glow golden...
before bursting in a brilliant searing light!Well not that massive.
1Shirou would suddenly have his entire world filled by light searing into his eyeballs. Yellow light that acted like fire, consuming everything in its path...
like a torrent of mud chewing through familiar buildings all around him as his entire world was set ablaze...
@Yom | Billy the Kid
The Priest kneeled over from the final strike. Strength of will can only go so far after all.
The soft wave of water washed through the town, extinguishing the tide while leaving everything as it had been.
Suddenly, Xu Fu would hear a loud cracking sound from behind her... the beloved Statue of Lady Yu had a crack at it's pedestal! Before instantly crumbling into fragments. The Priest's radiant blast had damaged more then it had initially seemed!
There was plenty of rope. It was just question if all the rope in the hamlet could hold down a three meter tall man built like a tank.There was plenty of rope. It was just question if all the rope in the hamlet could hold down a three meter tall man built like a tank.
You can attempt it if you wish.Inside the flooded boathouse was of course, Mr. Boat, and beside in a large amount of rope used to lashed it against the docks.Meanwhile the body of the knocked out Priest began to rumble slowly as he let out slow but heavy breaths.
@Game Ping 1To say the travel here was unpleasant... was to say the least. Contending with typical british weather under a barrage of already turbulent waves jostling a fishing boat that any moment could either capsize or break apart, you four have somehow made your way onto the mythical isle of man, where it is said that the three-headed Giants once roamed and did battle with the Fae.
Xu Fu's hamlet is a welcome place for many of you to rest after the exhausting journey but you barely get a second as out of the forest that surrounds the hamlet a single figure has emerged from the treeline.
They are dressed in the uniform of a elite cultist soldier but the cloth emblem on his chest plate denoting the Lord he is loyal to has been torn off. He is waving white cloth that he has tied to a stick.
"Peace!" he calls out, his voice echoing across the small stretch of sheltered coast, "I call for peace!"He is a young enough looking man with a hooded armour and a crossbow lashed across his back.
Instantly Bezy would sense something overtly familiar with this man even if she had never met him before.
It was... like meeting a distant cousin or a maybe even a brother she had never met. An impossible feeling to truly put into words but a feeling nonetheless.
"I serve the Cult of the Lords," he covered his mouth with his gloved hands, dropping the flag, "But I serve the Lord of all that is Golden above all. By proxy, my loyalty of service is to Chaldea as well.""You may hold my feet over a fire until they are but ash. I shall speak the truth."That is the chain of command here. Somewhat disappointing that one fell sick over the trip here, but I suppose the conditions were fairly rough. I will see more of her another time...
He grimaces slightly, "Foul witchcraft but anything I will do for my Lord."
"Very well. What he has sent me to you for. There is only so much information that he could communicate in a note."
He looks up into the sky, staring at blue skies.
"We best hurry. I do not have much time until the Lord of Gazes finally turns her eye to this isles. His protection will only buy me so much time."
He reaches inside his armour and draws a crumpled map.
"The fortress town of Douglas. The Lord's have occupied this town as a staging ground for a massive fleet now in dock, numbering in the tens of dozens. They intend to use these isles and Douglas as a staging ground to ferry thousands of soldiers across the straits to Ireland," it's now everyone notices he has a strong celtic, irish accent, "This could prove a large threat to Chaldea and everything they've worked for, possibly reversing the hard-fought gains you have made over the many weeks.""Knowing Chaldea's penchant for dealing with their issues, I can already assume you have a solution to this."
"Defensive structures are minimal. Other than the disappearance of a few spearmen, they believe that this island was subjugated when they first landing and slaughtered the inhabitants. They took about a hundred of their best warriors prisoner and are keeping them in town. I believe the intention is to convert them to worship the Lords or as parade pieces to distract the populace of Chaldea's recent gains."
"But they do still possess points of interest," he points to a piece of the map, "This is Fort Callister. It overlooks the entire bay and is armed with light field pieces in case any enemy ships come close to the harbour. They do have patrols outside the walls but they are focused on finding the few native inhabitants of the isles left to ship them back to the mainland in order to make them slaves.
"No," he shakes his head at Nobunaga "the soldiers have not been gathered. They are waiting on the mainland currently. But the facilities to house them on the island in the form of barracks by the port are there as well as a armory of weapons, including esoteric runes designed to breathes gouts of fire that can tear down the walls of castles."
"Correct. Though entry will be hard as there are only two viable gates here. The walls tops themselves are under heavy patrol." he said, "You could attempt to fly over but after rumours of a flying demon being employed by Chaldea came, they've bolstered ballistas to strike flying targets and Mages watch the skies. Not an impossible task but certainly a difficult one."
"Another option would be a good old frontal attack but you'll be facing hundreds of fanatic soldiers. I know you Servants are powerful beings but even those numbers of magecraft-enhanced soldiers can prove quite a hassle."
"I should also note there is a brothel area. Not a great idea to spend the night there, our Monk healers have had their hand full dealing with the myriad of ailments that flow from there. But the reason it's still open is because the commander and his lackey captains spend nearly all their time there. Make of that what you will."
@Game Ping 1
"Sewers are an option if you are one adept at stealth. There is a grate right under the bridges into the town but patrols do pass extremely close to it and they'll have the high ground if they do spot you. The fact tha Fort Callister is close is not a comforting one. Alternatively, the patrols outside the fortress are falling behind on the quota for capturing natives, so they might be hasty in their selection if you come across one. To my knowledge they get deposited in the prisoner camp as well.""Are there any other questions?""Incorporeal would certainly make you much harder to detect, but I would suggest so using it as too much of a crutch for it is not absolute. Beware the floating glyps and the Magus. They are few in number but could possibly become aware to your presence if you do not exercise caution."
"Tight fit," he raised an eyebrow but nodded nonetheless, "I hope your plan works. I will follow with your Master for a bit."
After the last of the servants have gone into the mirror, the soldier looks up to Bezy, "I hope you don't mind if I accompany you for a bit. Make sure you find the right patrol."As the sun starts to reach it's zenith and they are halfway across the island, the soldier suddenly spoke out of the blue, "I need you to kill me and make it look like one of the dissidents did it."He handed her a dagger with a jewel encrusted on its hilt. The feeling a familiarity became stronger, "This will do. They have no doubt already noticed I am missing. I will be questioned if they find me and they will. I consider myself to be of great will thanks to my faith, but their Magus will break me no matter my faith."
"I do not think Chaldea is one that accept loose ends?"
He pulls at his plate armour's collar to reveal the nape of his neck, "Make it look convincing. Pain is nothing."
He stops at Nobu's words. "I would only slow you down, would I not? Besides they'll be looking for me anyway. I cannot follow your Master with you through those gates for they would recognize me. Nor can I be allowed to simply just flee for they will find me.""His power does not reach far on these isles." he said before turning to Bezy, "It is ultimately up to you. You are Chaldea and by proxy I am at your command.""Very well." he nods. "If I am now at your command knowing my name will be of some use. You may call me Maine."
He drew his longsword. "I am not quite to the level of the elite warriors within Douglas but I will survive myself."
"I am to enter the mirror with the others?""Then I am to follow you? The guards would likely recognize me. Unless you are capable of extending your changeling powers to me?""Possible. Though they may have wondered where I was the entire time," something flashes in his eyes, "Strike me several times on my face, very roughly." (edited)Bezy struck him by mistake in the side of neck, "Oh, that actually fixed this terrible creak I've had in my neck the past week. Not even the Magus could fix it."
Several therapeutic punches later enough struck to leave... just a slight bruise on his cheek.
He sighed.
Walked up to a nearby tree.
And proceeded to smash his face several times into the hard wood until a tooth were left indented in the bark.He turned around with a badly bruised face with a crooked nose, "I can now say that I was ambushed and kidnapped by dissidents. I managed to escape and capture one of them."
...Nobukatsu, you're handling physical matters now.I-I shall try my best...He pointed down the road. "There's a patrol coming up in ten minutes. Get ready to look the part.""Hmmm." he said, "Good idea."
He proceeded to take it from her. "I will keep this safe with my life."
"Apologies. Be aware I take no pleasure from this."
Drawing his sword he proceeded to grab it by the side of the blade.
And smash the hilt against the side of Bezy's head.oof, the guy's keeping tabs on what the master did huh...
Suddenly the sound of battle and grunts comes through the trees as a patrol of around six men dressed in light armour come running through the trees at the sound.
Maine shoves Bezy over at the last moment, looking like he's won the fight.
A man with bright blonde hair and green eyes with a cap-like helmet is the first to speak from the patrol, "Maine? We've been looking for you!"
"Damn heretics," Maine spat a wad of blood on Bezy, "They got me while on patrol. But I got one of them."
The blonde man laughed, "And you did! Look at the hole in the side of her head. She's even still alive." he kneeled down next to Bezy, a massive grin across his scarred and unwashed face. "Now who the hell are you, missy?"
"I must have knocked her in the head harder than I thought," Maine said.
"Ah, brain-dead or not brain-dead, she's still a looker," the blonde man chuckles, "Now miss Bezy, I get to decide what happens to you so you're going to regret it."
"Check if she has anything on her," the captain shouts to his men.
"How about this necklace?" one of the men ripped it off its string and stuffed it into the pocket. "That's about everything she's good on worth on her. She's one of the Irish after all."
"Alright get her up! Take her to the camps. I'll deal with you later." the blonde man's face comes uncomfortably close to Bezy.
They pull Bezy onto her feet, shoving her forward to come with them through the trees.Soon the trees begin to clear the the port town of Douglas makes itself clear. It is a miserable place even as the sun begins to set. The entire city itself is drowned in a feeling of being unwashed for months now. A river moves under the two drawbridges as Fort Callister situated on its tall hill see's all like a red gazing eye.
Below at the port massive warhips are docked with the sails flying high. Each marvels of wood and of early steel easily capable of carrying hundreds of troops each.
And there is nearly fifty of them alone here.
Corpses have been thrown to the side of the road, headless with their hands bound behind their back. Flies swarm them to the point that some are utterly covered in a buzzing vibrating layer of black.
Gibbets hang over the gatehouse, their prisoners moaning as they die of exhaustion, starvation, and thirst. To be kept in their cages until their rotting corpses fall through the gap into the river.
Something strike Bezy hard in the back. it is the end of the spear by the blonde man. "Look at that up there missy? You continue with this act and you'll join them up there.""Come on, we broke you already?" another laughed as she struck Bezy hard at the back of the head with their palm. Her vision blurred lightly at the hit.
They all laughed as a group.
"Now as much as I love group-work, I don't think I can stand her whining anymore."
Maine's eyes went wide.
"Wai-" he began but it was too late.Bezy caught a glimpse of the end of the spear smashing into the side of her face before everything went dark."Hey! Hey!" a voice came from the blackness.
Slowly everything would come back to Bezy as she saw the concerned face of Maine looking down at her. "You still alive?"
The pair were in some small cell with dank moss on the stone wall and the constant dripping of water. The place stunk to high heaven with the scent of mold and something rotting far away.
"No you don't. But it got closer than I wanted it to ever be. Look, I can't stay long. The others invited me to the brothels and at risk of looking suspicious I can't refuse."
"You're in the Prisoner Camp. I brought you here after you got knocked out."He laid down the mirror and knocked it twice, "It's safe to come out now."
Do we all come out here? I would suggest one stay to meet the ones we're looking for in the brothels..."I'll recognize the commander at a glance and point him out to you," he nods, "Though you are already in the prisoner camp."I'll get out, Aneue. The master looks... rough, I want to give her some first aid.
Coming outside of the Mirror, Nobukatsu looked at her wounds "How're you doing? good holding out.""Consider this my apology," Maine handed Bezy a bottle that had glowing green liquid within it, "I got one before I left. It was always going to be for emergencies but you're more important."
It was a Potion Supreme healing. "Use it wisely.""What else was I going to say... yes, it's currently night with dusk having barely passed. The streets are dark and there's a curfew. But get the uniform of the guards and maybe it'll be dark enough they don't notice you.""Down the hallway to the right. They'll be in the courtyard around this time to get some fresh air before they go back to the dungeons below. Be careful. They might not know who you are and by all manners to be honest, you look frightening enough to be a new warden."
@Fox/Wilt/[pending]/Wu/Lae
"Be aware as great as warriors can be. There's only so much you can do when all you have are fists and your foe has sword and bows.""Just you?"
"Friend?" he looked around, confused, "Which one of the others are you taking with you?""You servants are a strange bunch," he muttered, "Alright so you're with me. You can try to stay in your incorporeal form though we have some methods of detecting servants or blend in with me out of the open. You appear regal enough that some may mistake you for a government official." (edited)"That would work." he nodded, "A treasure of war I can claim.""Be aware as great as warriors can be. There's only so much you can do when all you have are fists and your foe has sword and bows."
Maine would pocket the mirror, "I have to leave now. The rest is up to you."
And he began to leave to cell before turning back and throwing a set of keys around a chain to the ground, "I picked this from a guard on the way in. It can open some doors but not all."
Now what?Outside the cell was a corridor that branched right and left. One that delved deeper into the basement to the left while a spiral stairway ascended upwards to the right.Maine had left to the right corridor btw.
Moving up the spiral staircase they heard many voices above but one drowning them off.
"You now all have a final chance that I have been so gracious to grant," a female voice echoed down the hallway. "You all have a final chance to renouce your false pagan Gods and to join something greater! A chance to-"
Suddenly the trio would hear footsteps coming down the hallway."Think they'll do it?" a voice comes wafting down.
"Last chance or the archers'll on the walls will kill them all."
"Damn it. I hope we don't get clean-up duty."
Only two voices.Being seen now would be a pain. Nobukatsu, dematerialize and take their back with me.
As she sends that message, Nobu fades away.
aye aye Aneue!
"Try and waddle them by side... we can try and jump them, miss dragon"The pair would pass by a trio of spearmen moving down the stairs. They all looked exhausted and just wanted to turn in.Suddenly they all stopped in shock at...
"A prisoner out of their cells? What the-""Oh god they killed Kenny!" one of the Guards exclaimed but his voice was drowned out by the speech above.
Good work!
Three guards dropped dead.And then she was at the top of the wall. It was ten feet tall with three archers in front of her looking down below.
Below there was a large courtyard with dozens of prisoners chained at their hands and to the ground.
"And you shall be rewarded in the afterlife!" flanked by two knights in gold-bronze armour that held longswords, was a massive woman clad in supremely heavy armour.
And a massive hammer to boot.
They're about to... Make an execution? Maybe we can take this chance?Absolutely.
Studying the woman and her entourage, Nobunaga sighed as she reappeared. Stepping forward right behind the archers, she stands on one of her arquebuses, as her voice rings out unhesitating and prideful.
"Such gaudy armor, it's almost ridiculous... Can't be helped! Oi, all of you down there, pay attention! Enough talk of gods and salvation..."
Three corpses of archers collapse while the prisoners in the courtyard murmur, though their hands are chained.
Is this a resistance? Could this be their chance? Yet they do not know, confusion gripping their faces.
Four kneeled men in chains with their heads down.., one of them with firey ginger hair and a murderous mustache the largest amongst them.
He simply stands up and with a single massive flex of his muscles tears his chains apart.
"FREEDOM!" he screamed to the heavens."Take the bitch down!" another yelled.
Suddenly the massive Knight brought down her massive hammer to crush Bezy's chest.The armour she is wearing with is infused with the bones of Albion. Fellow Albion. Taken straight from his tomb.Something more akin to the force of a runaway train smashed into the side of the enforcer.The prisoners using their fists or sticks left on the ground proceed to almost beat one of the Knights to death despite the Knight being in full armour.
"TAKE THIS YE LADDY!"
What nobunaga lacked in penetration.
She made up with sheer weight of fire.
The Paladin buckled and fell to her knees under the onslaught of lead.
The four of them cheered, still chained. One of the guards still had keys on their corpses.
"For those we have lost and those we still love, we shall die in glory!" he shouted.
"Where do you need us?" (edited)It was reinforced steel infused with shards from the bone of Albion through magecraft."On my way in there was an armory in the northern section of the town. We were forced to throw down our weapons there in a pile of steel. They had threatened us if we did not surrender they would have our families killed. We did the only honourable thing." he nods, gesturing to his men to man the wall and to continue to loot the dead as more and more former prisoners flooded out from the dungeons below, eager for vengeance.You would all recall the map Maine had given.
Bezy would consume everything.
Everything.
It was such of her hunger she didn't care when she began to bite into flesh and bone.
It was also about this time Mary returned.
@Game Ping 1
Maine stepped out of the mirror, a determined look on his face. "I see you've freed the prisoners. The enemy will be decapitated for the next hour or so. They're now running in the dark and there's a good chance they'll even attack each other in panic. But there's enough of them that the prisoners as they are will eventually be overwhelmed once Fort Callistered rallies."
"And the fleet and the town remains mostly intact. The structure is rotten. We just need to give it the kick."
The charred corpse uniform was actually still surprisingly intact. It was regal and noble-looking, of quite high import."The armory," Maine nodded.
A group of five burly men approached Nobukatsu. One of them stepped forward, a giant of a man to the point where Nobukatsu only came up to his bottom pecs, "I hear from the red woman you'll be leading us?""Do you need any of my men to come to you to the armory?" the big rebel asked.
"Enough equipment for a fez dozen. But not the hundred. Still, should be enough. I can spare at most seven men to go with you three. The rest and men alongside your red queen will sow chaos. We'll see if we can even take the ships."
"Seven men," Maine repeated.The streets outside the prison had already descended into chaos. Alongside the rooftops fires had been lit. Either by the escaped rebels, lamps knocked over, or maybe even a frustrated attempt by the occupiers to raze the city in the belief it had already fallen. The head of the snake had been chopped off and now the body was thrashing blindly in a rage.
Screams and shouts littered the streets as the group snuck by alongside the streets, Maine slowly drifting to the front and offering directions to the others.
In the alleyways there were scattered battles. Some between the guards and the population that had risen up against their oppressors or even guards fighting against guards in the confusion, unsure to whose side they were even on. Many just fled and hit in the dark places. Kids conscripted from across the straits to fight in lands that mere weeks ago they had believed to be mythical.
Soon the group came up to a street that divided in two. The one on the right brought them through the worst of the fire and flames as a district of the town was now a blazing torch. While the other would bring them straight through a bright marketplace with stalls and lights still on, as if it's inhabitants had been there one moment, and not the other."The Lords curse us," Maine swore, "I've never been on this street before. I don't know if it's left or right that will take us the quickest."The road to the right was the shortest. But she could see the entire street was filled with burnt bodies, buildings that had collapsed and barricaded themselves onto the streets, and deadly green smoke from some sort of source coming from the underground. Fifteen minutes if they went through that one.
The road the left came into a large market with another road that branched around the fire and flames but it would take twice as long as the burning road. And it seemed that there were troops down there. About a dozen of them in the market place having orders shouted to them by a Knight dressed in void black.The five men and Maine agreed, "No human could.""Depends," Maine played with his sword. "I could help and these men are pretty goo-"
With a massive crashing sound the wave erupted from the swollen drains and from every plant in the surrounding area, rising up to the height of the buildings around them, before crashing down onto the blazing district. A good two-thirds of the road managed to be bathed in the water but it threw up a massive wall of steam and noise. It would be hard to mask such a massive ocrance but it was good enough.
Bezy and Nobukatsu would hear distant shouts from the right street."URRRAAAAAAAH!"
As they ran through the smoke, clothes bound over their mouths, the casualties started to mount.
A rebel tripped over a flaming piece of wood only to fall onto a pyre of tinder left behind by a collapsing building, shrieking as the fire engulfed him. His comrade attempted to put the fire out but inadvertently bumped into the final supporting beam of the house, causing the entire structure to crash down on them and crush both of them.
After what seemed like an eternity, finally the five rebels, Maine, and the three Chaldeans reached the end. The smokey air was like cooling water to your lungs after the intense hell.
"W-W-HACK," Maine coughed loudly, "Lost two in there. Shit."
"One last push!" the other all chanted and begin to soldier on again."
Finally they reached the end of the street. The blazing inferno was now behind them as they all rested in a dark crossroads.
"We lost two," one of the rebels spat wads of black soot from his throat.
"But we made it." Maine coughed, "The armory, if I recall, is just down the street. Given the fact we haven't run into a patrol I think it's fair that the outer defences may be lacking.The streets ahead had all the lights in the houses snuffed out with the doors barriacded and window shutters closed.
Save for a single compound about a hundred feet down the road with a gate on the front that was blazing like a lighthouse in the dark.
"I doubt we can just take it," Maine remarked, "Even that place has to have guards. As far as I know there's only one way in and that's the small gate up ahead. But with their commander dead, they won't have any idea who is on whose side."
Maine quickly described the basic outside of what he knew about the area, painting a general map of the building's outside.
"And the five of us? What are our orders?" the five rebels grunted.
"The weapons themselves, at least the high-qaulity ones and the explosives will be stored in the basements."Maine was also dressed in the uniform of a Lord's soldier by the way."You're dressed a little strangely," Maine said. He himself was dressed as if he was a Knight, "But you and the other lady could fit in as emissaries or workers we brought from the mainland as ship-builders. Any of you have experience with either?"
"An officer would fit. We can claim you're a captain. But you'll need to be fierce enough to convince them.""Think you can manage that?""We'll secure the street outside as well. Make sure nobody comes in." the rebels all dissipated.
Maine sighed, "Right, you're the captain. Lead the way."The wooden gate to the compound stood in front of Nobukatus, a small slit in the doors that could be rolled back to look out embedded at around his head height."Your move," Maine whispered.MacManus," Maine said, "My father's name. Make him proud."
"Iarainn Soith" he told Bezy, "Especially faithful and if someone makes her angry she'll crush them with her massive hammer. Speaking of you'll probably have to explain why you don't have said hammer and aren't at the prison quelling the uprising.""That'll be a tough sell. She's a mean woman. But even everyone has their breaking points.""W-what the fuck?" came a voice on the other side of the gate, the slit opened and a pair of eyes looked through at the strange trio, "W-who the fuck are you guys?""Knight Maine." Maine said.
"First off, who in the holy hells are you?" the eyes said.
"I would be more careful with your words, Guard," Maine hissed.
Then the eyes looked over Maine's shoulder and went white. "Shit... my lady! I apologise for the delay!"
Suddenly the slit closed and there was a loud sound of the doors unlocking, revealing a courtyard with a guard and a single Knight dressed in plain steel. The guard at the gate was now stepping backwards, muttering apologies to not-Bezy.The Steel Knight bowed at Soith's presence, "My Lady! It joys me to see you not amongst the fallen. But allow me to ask you, my Lady, where is your beloved Hammer of Deliverance?"One of the Guards gave Nobukatsu a mean look, confused to who the hell this runt was but holding his mouth.I'm done on my end- So we've settled on disguises again, Nobukatsu? Seems to be working at least. You might want to tone it down a bit, however...
With that in mind, she remained out of sight, floating along after the others."M-m-my apologies, my Lady, please enter and find comfort. There is one of your fellows already inside, a Black Knight of our Lord." the Knight stuttered.
One of the Guards was rather taken aback by Oda's panick, "What do you mean? We've been told that the situation is under control. It's just a small flare up from the upstart population?"The Steel Knight capared for a bit, "I cannot spare the men. I am under special orders from the Black Knight to keep this armoury locked down at all costs, especially the weapon we imported from London just tonight. If you need reinforcements so badly then you must talk to him. Until then on pain of death i cannot order men to leave the defences here. We are stretched as thin as we can be.""He's in the main supply depot inside ma'am, guarding the weapon." The Knight would usher Bezy and Nobukatsu into the main hall. They passed a guard sitting at his post in the room just outside.
Inside it was lit up chandeliers from above and other lamps linding the surfaces and walls, candles dripping wax from the tables. Crates upon crates were mounted on each other until they were in some places twice as tall as a person. There were a few guards inside you could see. Three at least that had been sitting around playing a card game to pass the time until Soith entered the room and they all stood to attention.
"Ah!" came a voice from a bannister above. It was a strongly accented voice from the Scottish Highlands, "Soith, I had wondered if you had survived the prison riot. But somehow you did... though lacking your signiture hammer of justice and your armour..."
The figure stepped forward to the ledge at looked downwards. He was wrapped in armour and a red cape. All the while cinders drifted from him as his face was hidden under the shadow of his helmet, just two red eyes glaring from the dark.
"Your guards defected?" the Black Knight spoke with mild amusement in his voice, "Now how did that happen? How many of them?" (edited)Aneue, you might want to get ready... This really doesn't bode well...Works for me... From the looks of things, if we take this one out, the rest will start collapsing fully. See if you can get him alone."Orders," the Black Knight sighed disappointingly as he held up his amber blade, "I should be out there killing those heretic scum... but the Lord of Growth has asked for her weapon to be kept secure until we can transport it to Belfast. Given the fact you, Soith, failed to quell this before it started it seems even more pertinent to keep it secure."
"To make this more distressing, I just received message from my scouts on the other side of the island that they've found some sort of hamlet on the beach. There's only once force we face that is capability of setting it up and avoiding our gaze for so long."
"As far as I'm concerned I consider Chaldea to be a possible culprit for this insurrection. If it continues to deteriorate for the rest of the night, I am evacuating it on the ships back to the mainland."
"And as for your hammer, we have a spare oversized maul. I'll have one of my men bring it to you and you can be on your merry way." (edited)
"It is that bad?" he ponders for a moment.
He paused for a moment.
"That bad."
"Half of my men. Ten of them. Best soldiers I have will follow you. Take what equipment you need. But no more."
The Black Knight chuckled, "How the mighty have fallen. Get what you require and leave when ready, I have a defence to run and a report to send to the mainland regarding this disastrous night." (edited)
"And I will congratulate you if you do.""Ooorah," the ten soldiers muttered as they marched down the street alongside Bezy.Unaware of course, what lay ahead of them.
They didn't even have a moment to scream or even make an action.
They're just smears the next moment.
You're a pretty good actor, Nobukatsu. Even if still an excitable one. Until the moment of attack, Nobunaga keeps her distance and avoids taking form.The Knight at the entrance showed surprise at the sudden return of the group.
He unlocked the gate and stepped out, walking towards the group, "My Lord, you are back so soon?""Wha-"A bit too soon, but it can't be helped... Let's get this done quickly!"When you said you were betrayed... I must admit that I had not expected that you would be the one betraying," the Black Knight said casually from his position above.
He sighed and drew his blade.
"I did get my wish granted after all. Praise be the Lords that I may spill heretic blood tonight.""Very well," he raised his blade, "I challenge thee to a duel of death!"
He kneeled down slightly before launching himself into the air from the bannister onto the crates in a manner no human should have before he became a blur that appeared behind Mary's Clone.
"Begone, foul one."He staggered as he attempted to finish off the mirror of Mary.
"Hmmm, spells..." he chuckled, "This should be fun then.""A three-to-one fight isn't exactly fair," he said, "And I shouldn't exactly have all the fun."
Suddenly two Knights and two Archers would flood into the room from below.
"So let's even these odds.""All warfare is based on deception." he said, "I should have killed you the moment you walked in here with Soith's face. However, I had to be sure. I must admit I didn't quite expect four servants against me."
"But I've dealt with worse before. And after all, through the blood I spill - mine or yours - I shall prove my faith!"
"Annoying," the Knight pointed at Bezy and Oda, "Eliminate them. They are the source.""O' Lords protect thy soul," he held his blades to his chest as he suddenly glowed with golden energies, "It seems I must complete this myself."One of the Knight rushed Mary, attempting to tackle her and throw her down to the ground with his strength.As Mary began to close the distance she would see that the Knight was moving to remove something from a crate above...
The archer stood agape as he watched one of the infamous Black Knights of the Lord... just crumple and fall like they were naught.
He dropped his bow and began to back away.Suddenly as Mary drank his blood, she felt something. At first it was hot... uncomfortably so. Even for her decadence and love of pain it started to grow to the point where it felt like her heart was starting to burn from the inside out, like a sun was growing inside of her...Even the shredded remains of the Black Knight was more than enough for Bezy.
The hunger grew...
It had been already an hour.
It was almost painful now.Mary could tell the pain was coming from something she ate.
It was inside her now.
Not destroying...
But morphing.When one drinks the blood of a creature fused with the remains of Albion...
one can expect a reaction.
Hunger...
Hunger...
Flesh.
Flesh.
Flesh.
Re-unite with Albion.The shriveled corpse awaited her.
@Vormal/Asstolfo/Morban/Sword/CatSlowly all would bare witness as the hunger began to consume Bezy... as she consumed the corpse in the most horrific manner possible.
If it were to be described, it would get the god-like entity known as the DM on a watch-list. But rest assure of what you all saw...
1
Maine approached the gates of the armoury, covered in blood.
Three of the rebels followed behind him.
Further behind them was a street filled with Cultist dead.
"The attempted reinforcements have been crushed," Maine said as he held his limp and broken arm, "I've just received word that the ships in port are about to fall. A quarter have been burned before the rebels could get to them, another quarter managed to flee, but we still seized half the ship. We'll still have resistance to deal with, Fort Callister has been contained under siege though not stormed, and with the weapons you seized today we can hold off any counter-attacks."
"I can only offer you my greatest thanks, Chaldea."Within the crate Mary would find a Scythe, with the heraldry of dragons carved upon it's black handle and across it's silver blade.
A weapon forged from the bones of Albion...
And there was only one place where Albion lay...
London.
Wakened Dragon's Wrath Scythe.
This weapon is decorated with dragon heads, claws, wings, scales, or Draconic letters. When it steeps in a dragon's hoard, it absorbs the energy of the dragon's breath weapon and deals damage of that type with its special properties.
Whenever you roll a 20 on your attack roll with this weapon, each creature of your choice within 5 feet of the target takes 5 damage of the type dealt by the dragon's breath weapon.
You gain a +2 bonus to attack and damage rolls made using the weapon. On a hit, the weapon deals an extra 2d6 damage of the type dealt by the dragon's breath weapon.
Maine would say, "Eleven ships. Seven transports. But Four warships."Down to the basement they would find that through the door it was unnaturally dry in here. The moment anyone stepped in they instantly felt parched.
In the corner of the room, lit only by glowstone placed on them, was almost two hundred barrels marked red with white crosses upon them.Maine only had just followed them down when he froze.
"No open flames. Nothing that even creates a spark. Don't even think about things that make sparks."
"I didn't know this could be produced in such quantities..."
@Game Ping 1"Brimestone. Something the Magus' of the Lord cooked up. It's ten times more powerful than the blackpowder my Lord has been creating for our cannons...
this quantity...
This could have turned Belfast into a crater."Bezy would indeed sense it was made with magecraft.Maine would say, "Eleven ships. Seven transports. But Four warships."
"This weapon..."
"I have no idea what to do with it... I don't even know what one could do with it. But it is in the possession of Chaldea yourself. Just don't use it anywhere close to London."
He nodded, "I may have only delivered you here, but it was your leadership, your hunger for victory, an ability to sacrifice for a greater cause, and willingness to exert brutality and violence that won us this day."
Despite his wounds he stood up taller. "It has been a pleasure working with all of you in service for the Golden Lord."
@Game Ping 1A slight smile broke across his bloody face.
2
And so, when the three of you enter the virtual battle space, the doors behind you close and the last thing you see before entering the simulation was Eléonore looking at you all with the same, gentle smile on her face. Then with a little playful wave. Likely to add some encouragement, support.
The virtual battle space was a large facility with panels decorated all over its walls. These panels quickly turn black, making the entire room dark. A sign that the simulation booting up is in process. You do not see each other for a brief moment of time but soon enough, you all find yourselves in a completely unfamiliar environment.
You look around and find yourselves inside a building. One that appears to be a mosque. All around you, you see retrieved equipment from foreign sources. Likely supplies for unknown military personnel that had used this mosque as a base. Though no one appears to be around. In fact, the place seems abandoned. The windows were also shut closed so it was hard to tell what was outside. But at the very least, there were doors ahead of you that were slightly opened. With a simple push, you will be able to see where you are exactly and what the outside has in store for you. What the simulation has in store for you.The equipment Victoria takes a look at were for communication purposes. If she goes to check the others, they appear to be the same. There were also documents and food supplies. There does not appear to be any weapons or ammunitions. This may be more of an outpost for observation.Akane, you take a look around and notice that this building has been untouched for the most part. The only thing that appeared out of place were the barricaded windows. Which was quite strange as the main door doesn't seem to have any reinforcement on it. Other than that, nothing else stood out. It was just this large hall with communication equipment and supplies all over. The almost silent atmosphere was ominous, though.Rider, as you slip through the door, you see what appears to be a decimated city.
Beyond the fence that surrounds the entire madeshift outpost, you see hundreds of structures destroyed with rubble all around. Like a massive earthquake had occured. However, an earthquake was not the case as you immediately understand the situation of this part of Indonesia.
High in the sky, you see this massive hole sucking things up towards the sky. Delivering more damage to the already ruined city. And to add, there appears to be no life around. The residence of the entire city was likely evacuated due to this unknown entity. Then, as if on queue, you see a large bolt of lightning strike the surface just outside the courtard. Creating this large crater and this thunderous sound.
Akane and Victoria are able to hear the thunder from where they were due to how powerful the strike was.
But all of a sudden, just when things look bad, Rider would see the air just... rip apart? A rift appears to be forming right in front of this decorated fountain. Getting bigger with every second passing.As the three of you converse, the 'tear in the air' gets wider and then snaps. A rift, portal, opens and on the other side would be this whole other place.
Rider, you can see that on the other side of the rift was this place that looked like... space. It was empty and there were rocks floating about. There even appears to be light on the other end, perhaps caused by a celestial body. But before you could inspect the rift further, it starts to suck things towards it. Nearby furniture and soil can be seen being pulled towards it. At the same time, something slithers out of it... Something big.
Exiting the rift while it was sucking random things inside was this huge phantasmal creature. Its body looks like it was made out of stars, constellations. A celestial being not from this earth. Perhaps even not from this known galaxy. It took the form of a viper. Then soon enough, this phantasmal beast introduces itself with a loud hiss. Looking like it senses everyone in the area. But it wasn't alone.
Soon, unlike the celestial viper that crawled out of the rift, these bird-like creatures exit too. Dashing out like a falling star. They were much smaller in comparison to the viper but were much faster. Said bird celestials can be seen rushing towards the building. Letting out an ear-piercing screech on the way.As your bullet connects with the incoming 'shooting star', it blows up and scatters into bright colored dust particles. Star dust? Whatever it was, it no longer exists in the same realm as you.
However, one shooting star rushes to your position. Just as it looks like it was about to fly over you, it quickly shifts its direction and moves down. Striking your back - hurting you as if you've been hit by a burning bullet.Another 'shooting star' shoots across the courtyard and attempts to collide itself with Rider. The three of you could hear its sound - like a sonic boom. However, the servant was much faster and dodges the incoming bird-star-thing.Akane heroicly, or in a panic rather, gets in the way and swings her bat right on the nearest star. Your group could hear this loud 'splash' as the bat connects with this celestial. It almost turns to dust but barely holds its form.
After the remaining stars make their attacks, the viper moves in. Dashing across the courtyard. Mouth wide open, bearing its fangs.The battle goes on and unfortunately, one of the stars get the best of Akane and knock her out as its celestial body slams onto her back. Then the viper takes its chance to attack Medusa, quickly lowering its head down and sinking its teeth onto her body. Biting her. But when it tries to swallow her up, she escapes and the viper tries to punish her by slamming its tail. However, Medusa dodges in time. Letting the viper hiss out of frustration.Victoria's shot was enough to make the remaining star bird turn to dust like the rest... Leaving a glitter of dust falling on top of the unconscious baseballer.The viper hisses at you loudly as your attempt to use your Noble Phantasm against it failed. It retaliates by trying to bite you but misses. However, its tail catches you off guard and it strikes your body with much force that despite your resistant, you definitely felt the hit.The celestial viper resumes its attacks but Medusa was waiting for it. And so, its fangs would strike the stone floor and the tail making a crack on it. Destroying more of the previously untouched courtyard of this mosque.Medusa would manage to grapple the celestial viper but it wouldn't let the servant best it so easily. Out of instinct, it continues to bite and try to slam her with its tail. And fortunately enough, with how close Medusa was to its head, it proceeds to bite her stomach, sinking its teeth hard and keeping its solid and sharp fangs there. Decorating its star body with her blood.
The bullet flies out of the barrel of her rifle and as it connects with the head of the viper, its stops in place and turns into star dust. The once physical and strong celestial creature turning into nothingness.
As soon as these phantasmal creatures were defeated, the rift closes itself and the vacuums from its space stops. The courtyard was damaged but the mosque remained untouched. There was still chaos beyond the fences of the building but the same quiet and empty atmosphere returns to the senses of the Chaldeans. Though from far away, you guys are able to see the giant hole in the sky getting even bigger. This terrific sight greets your eyes as the earth's surface is swallowed entirely. You see the ground shift up and the ground immediately shakes as a result. It was like the entire city was about to be lifted up and vacuumed inside. But just before the land is consumed along with you guys, the simulation stops and you all return to the black room of darkness.
And so, once you enter the simulation, the doors behind you close. Letting the room turn completely dark as the panels that decorated this part of the facility projects nothing. It wasn't long before a light show begins to occur inside the virtual battle space as the simulation was in development.
In just a blink of an eye, you all find yourselves in New York... Specifically, inside a building. A restaurant. One that has been hit as you see bodies on the ground with men wearing suits. Their corpses riddled with bullet holes. In fact, almost the entirety of the establishment has been shot up. Other than the delicious smell of food and drinks, you also smell blood.
Getting a better idea of your surroundings, you see through the shattered windows of the restaurant is an entrance to Central Park across the street. Its grass covered in snow as it appears to be snowing heavily outside.
As you have been briefed, the year is 1930 and you are to protect the V.I.P. and the V.I.P. has to reveal themselves... The city was incredibly quiet other than the wind blowing in the air. All felt unnatural.Just as you started your search, you can hear a vehicle screeching outside. Shortly parking right outside the restaurant...As you get into your positions, you see a man quickly get out of the car with his tommy gun raised. But just when you think he was about to fire his gun, someone shouts to get his attention.
[???]: "Hey, you knucklehead. What's the matter?"
[???]: "I swear I saw people moving in there, Paul. I swear!" He shouts back at his colleague.
-
[Paul]: "You're seeing things again, Joey. There ain't no soul left in that place. The crew already shot the whole restaurant up. Hmm. Maybe you saw her in there."
This man eventually leaves the car and joins his friend. It seems he isn't aware of your presence whatsoever but the other guy is.
[Joey]: "Hey, hey, hey!" He shouts to your group. Machine gun raised. "We got live ones!" He yells. His ally noticing eventually and thus he copies his friend. Weapon up with their fingers on the trigger.[Joey]: "Ah shi-" Before he could fire his weapon and finish his sentence, this blast of force nails him right on the face. Leaving a gory sight to all.
[Paul]: "Oh, no! Not Joey! You son's of bitches!" The man yells with a panicked tone.Being shot in the leg, the gangster clenches it and stumbles. Falling. Shouting words that definitely mean something bad in Italian. Then upon hearing what Savina had to say, the man raises his hand. Dropping his gun.
[Paul]: "All right, all right! Please don't kill me!" He shouts.
But due to the sounds of gun shot, you can hear more cars coming in from a distance. As well as the sound of a child's scream and a tumble below the floorboards of the restaurant... (edited)Fiana, after you heard a child's scream, you start looking for a way down underneath the floorboards where a basement may be. And thanks to your quick look-around, you find a hatch behind the bar that shows a ladder that leads down to a whole other floor.[Paul]: "Kh- Trust me, I don't plan on moving an inch!" He says back to the redhead. Clearly afraid.Climbing down, you see this place is a secret room. A place for gambling most likely. However, it now seems to be used as a place to hide... a little girl. She looks terrified, hiding behind the table in the center of the smaller room.
[???]: "G-Get away from me!" She throws a random object at Fiana. However, it does nothing.[Paul]: "Y-Yeah! I hope so at least..." He gulps. Then with your sharp eyes, you can catch the gangster cccasionally glancing at your revealed stomach.The little girl isn't convinced as she quickly hides behind the table again. Taking quick and sharp breaths, panicking. Though just as she was hiding, Fiana and Emm are able to notice something very important.
There were command seals on the little girl's right hand.[Paul]: "Er... English? Ah. Well, yes and no. There's a war going on and I'm just following orders!" He explains. Shortly yelping as he is being dragged by the strong woman. The man yelling as he feels sharp pains in his leg after being shot. "Gah!"
-
[???]: "F-Friend? You know 'Rider'?" The girl would peak from the side of the table. Looking at the both of you.
Soon enough, the cars arrive and you see several men get out of their vehicles and aim their weapons at the first person they see in the streets.
The werewolf, Theisoa.
[Paul]: "Hey, hey, hey! Watch your fire!" He shields his face. As if it was going to do anything to stop the bullets from raining down.[???]: Just as the girl was about to speak, the sound of cars erupt in the background. Shortly followed by yelling. This panics her more and is not convinced. "N-No! I'm scared..." She holds herself, her command seals glowing red...The little girl looks up at you, Osmeone, then back at your hand. Then with a big gulp, she takes your hand.
[???]: "O-Okay..." As she stood up, the sound of machine gun fire erupts upstairs. Making the girl cover her ears and scream again. Afraid of all the noise. "It's happening again!"The men upstairs fire their weapons and from how these bullets were moving, there appears to be this visible trace. A magical one... Something tells you that these bullets are not normal.
@Tulf @Baka | Olga, TheisoaThe mob stay by their cars and open fire at the visible targets, that being Theisoa and Savina. Bullets start flying across the street. Some stray bullets hitting the walls of the already lit up restaurant. There was also a gangster that eventually spots Savina and open fire at her, bullets striking the table she took cover behind.
[???]: "Get them! Boss'll not like this one bit! We need the girl!"The streets was a battlefield. The amount of guns being fired was chaotic. Bullets fly all over with some hitting both Savina and Theisoa. The gangsters also looked desperate. It seems they're determined to kill you guys and find this girl.
Meanwhile, downstairs, the little girl is covering her ears and lowering her head. Afraid by the sound of machine gun fire above. As this was happening, her command seals continue to glow red.With the firefight happening outside, you can see Paul, one of the gangsters, hide behind a wall of furnitures. Bleeding out from his wound and looking like he's about to pass out.
[Paul]: "Geez... It's so loud out here..."And so with that shot, the last hostile gangster drops to the ground. Dead. Leaving this part of New York dead quiet like it was originaly. The fight in the street was no more. The sound of machine gun fire ceased. It was now just the wind blowing from the winter weather.
When the fighting stops, the little girl would slowly open her eyes and remove her hands from her ears. Looking at Osmeone who has accompanied her the entire time.
[???]: "They... Did your friends stop them?" She asks. Her voice soft. Speaking in a way as if she spoke any louder, more trouble will come.Paul, on the other hand, can be seen leaning on a table. Breathing slowly.[???]: "Thank you, Mr..." The little girl would stand up properly and hold onto your legs, Osmeone. Shortly looking up at you and nodding her head. Accepting your proposal. You shortly lift her up in your arms and prepare to head up.
[Paul]: "Sure... You know... If this bar wasn't destroyed, I would've bought you a drink ehehehe... Say... are you si-"
And before Paul could finish his sentence, he freezes in place and so does everything else in the simulation. You can see the snow fall just hold in place and the blood flowing from the corpses of the mobsters stop moving. Then like before, all the panels deactivate which returns you all to this dark room.
Then the doors to the virtual battle space opens, revealing Eléonore who waits on the other side. Holding her empty cup of coffee and Fiana's.Just before the team is rayshifted into the singularity, they are to be briefed once again about the mission ahead. It was always good to hear any information that was not mentioned in the general announcement.
Once you head inside the room, you are greeted by a number of staff members at the ready to proceed with the rayshifting process. Then at the end, where the rayshift pods lie, was a man in a Chaldean uniform. His hair short, messy, and brown. He also seems to be accompanied by a small critter; a weasel. It appears to be being fed some treats by the man and, in a very cartoony-like manner, wore this fake 'stache and some sort of crown on its head.
It seems the individuals up ahead will be the ones to brief the participants for the latest mission. (edited)
The man would turn around as he hears the three of you introduce yourselves. And so does the weasel-like creature on his shoulder! The two of them take a moment to have a good look at each of you.
[Francois]: "Wonderful. And it is nice to see someone energetic for a change. Hello, Archer. A pleasure to meet you. A pleasure to meet you all, really. Especially you, Ciel. I have heard a lot about you in specific." He wears this tired look on his face but has also made the effort to put on a smile. In fact, his general tone was slow though energetic!
[Francois]: "I am Francois and I am accompanied by my dearest friend. Do introduce yourself." He looks at his companion.
When the creature was called up, you see the weasel take this straight posture. Imitating a gentleman. But then when the creature spoke... It is clear he is one. With that thick french accent and bravado, the companion of Francois introduces himself.
[Bovril]: "Bonjour Mesdames et Messieurs~ I am Bovril. Assistant of the doctor. He and I will answer any of your questions about the mission ahead. So please! Ask away~"Francois and Bovril look at each other. Almost checking to see who will be answering Trent's question then Ciel's. In the end, it seems like Francois will be handling it.
[Francois]: "Unfortunately, we still can't say. Though knowing the nature of this singularity, you must still prepare for any possible threat."
He glances at each of you. Meanwhile, Bovril will climb down Francois as if he was a tree to go and entertain Paris.
[Bovril]: "Hon hon hon~ Feel free, my friend! Any spirited souls like yourself is a friend of moi~ " The weasel-like creature answers. Allowing Paris to pet him.
[Francois]: "Right. We are also here to say a few more things. Recently, our team were able to pinpoint the general area as to where the surge of mana was detected. It appears to be coming from the sea. Beyond the coast of Penzance. It is like underwater so we ask that you ask the local area for any rumors or news. That way, we can have a better idea of what is going on over there without risking the lives and safety of fellow Chaldeans." He pauses. "Not that I do not have faith in the abilities of some." From his tone, that last statement is specifically towards Ciel.[Francois]: "That would be wise, yes." He nods in agreement with Ciel. It seems the leader of the group has been shown in his eyes. "As for the village, that is what you will need to find out. We have already confirmed the presence of a lord but the villages nearby their location... we are unsure if they are hostile or not. Who knows? By the off-chance, they are not cultists. That would be a relief. Or perhaps... something worse. I do not know. We will find out eventually though."
Sensing that it was almost time for the group to go, Bovril would look at Paris who has now focused back to the briefing.
[Bovril]: "Good luck out there, Archer. To the rest of you too." He moves to the side of Francois and bows courtesly. "I would love to visit a singularity~ Unfortunately, I cannot at this time. Perhaps you should become a master again so that I have the jurisdiction to enter."
[Francois]: "Ahhh, please, no. My days in the field are over. I answer the call to the advancement of medicine now, Bovril."
[Bovril]: "A shame~" The weasel-like creature then climbs on him and returns to his 'throne'. That being the doctor's shoulder.
[Francois]: "Right. Are there any more questions you might have?" (edited)[Francois]: "All right." He looks to the staff behind you guys. "They're ready. Get the rayshift in motion." Francois then looks at all of you once more, saying his farewell now. "Take care, Chaldeans. We wish you all a safe journey."
[Bovril]: "Ahah! So the sheep speaks! While I see you are a part of this servant's spirit, you are unmatch of my charis-oomph!"
Unfortunately for Bovril, he is silenced by Francois. Shortly walking away but the weasel still had more to say. But was muffled.
[Bovril]: *Muffled noises.*
And with that, the other Chaldeans in the room get to work. Getting you guys ready to rayshift into the singularity. Then as time passes, you are all ready to go. Then just like that, once the rayshifting process begins, you find yourselves in a foreign environment in the singularity.
- - - - -
Having rayshifted into the singularity, the overall 'vibe' of the place was ominous. There was a storm in the sky, rain falling, thunder booming. It is also currently night time. Though you have been notified, just before you rayshifted, that you will be arriving somewhere near a town in Penzance near its cost. In fact, you can see it up ahead. The travel won't be long. Though there does not appear to be any sign of life. Perhaps the residence are indoors due to the weather. Or perhaps it is because of something else. (edited)And so, you begin your mission by moving towards the coastal town. The first difference you'll notice is how small it is. Since the current year of the singularity is in the 1300s (AD), it won't be the same place Trent rememebred. At the very least, a town resided by the coast. The structure and the overall atmosphere was not the same though.
As the group approaches the town, Ciel and Paris (with the help of her sheep friends), would see... someone. A normal looking villager who is hanging outside of a small home made of stone. They don't appear to see you guys yet though. This villager just seems to be doing some chores just outside the home. Under the rain at that. Poor fellow.Ciel, by channeling your magic, you are able to detect only beasts and humanoid creatures. There doesn't appear to be any sign of celestials at this time.Trent, you take a moment to see how the villager is like. They don't appear to look 'bad'. Nor do they even have this 'cultist' look on them. The only thing you do understand is that they are feeling under the weather. The days could've been much better. You pick up the same thing too, Ciel.
Just by looking at the villager, they appear to be an old man. He wore clothing like that of a commoner. A farmer for those who are more perceptive. It seems like he is just taking care of his crips. Scavenging what he can most likely because of the terrible weather ongoing.Hearing your voice, the old man turns and is startled. He then locks eyes with you and his widens. The old man drops everything and starts running away. Or, well, tries to. He tries to move as fast as he could but his frail old body couldn't keep up. The old man would eventually stumble and fall. Hitting the mud and covering himself with it.
[Old Farmer]: "No! Please! Leave me alone!" He pleads. Clearly frightened of you despite your gesture.[Old Farmer]: "No, no! I will not fall for your tricks! You cultists. You took away my grandson and now you want to convert me? I have suffered enough!" The man refuses your show of kindness. He would even go so far as to knock the food away from Ciel's hands. Then the enthusiastic approach of Paris would put him off-guard. Seeing a child amongst you. "A... A little girl...?" He pauses, glancing at each of you. "Please do not tell me you are recruiting children now..." He gulps.[Old Farmer]: The old man snaps at Trent. "That's what they all say! They always preach about this false God and... and... and withcraft!"
[Old Farmer]: "Travelling hero? No. Those do not exist. Not now." He refuses to belief. It seems it would take some more convincing. Clearly, the old man is traumatized by the lost of his grandson. Though suddenly, the door of his home would swing open. Revealing a young lady trying to keep the hood of her coat on her head to block off the rain.
[Grand daughter]: "Grandpa? Where are you? Are you okay?" She shouts through the rain.
[Old Farmer]: "Get back inside!" The old man tells the girl. Trying to get up.The old man gets up and puts himself in between you guys and his home. The young lady just behind and despite being told to head back inside the house, she remains by the door. Watching and listening under the rain.
[Old Man]: "I do not want your food. I have had enough dealing with your kind. You are only hear to manipulate us!" The man refuses.
[Granddaughter]: Suddenly the girl speaks up. "Grandpa! What if they're like him? What if they're trying to protect us from the cultists? Look. They don't look like them."
[Old Man]: "Please, Alice. Head inside. You're not safe out here."[Granddaughter]: "Grandpa, please listen to them. I know they are not like the others."
[Old Man]: "And what of your brother!?" The old man snaps. "He said the same thing and now he is gone. And do not mention 'him'. 'He'... is not normal." He then calms down, looking back at the group. "Please, just leave us alone. My family and this town are already broken. It's barely holding together with those damn cults."
Having been yelled at, the girl just stays silent. Looking quite sad as she is reminded of her lost sibling it seems.
If not for Paris, the tension would've been very high. But it seems the old man is doing his best to relax himself due to the sight of a child.The old man hears Ciel and sees her moving deeper into the village. He doesn't stop you but is clearly not trusting you and whatever plans you have. The old man then returns his attention to Paris and Trent.
As you, Ciel, walk past the house, the girl would move to your side. Trying to tell you something important.
[Granddaughter]: "Head over to the coast. You should speak to him if you want to help us." She explains. Shortly moving back to the house despite wanting to say some more things. She just doesn't to not upset her grandfather.
Meanwhile, the old man continues to address both Paris and Trent as they are still here.
[Grandfather]: "Push them out... As far as I know, these cultists are competing with each other. We have been visited by different groups already and all of them threatened to burn our town down. But... Tsk... I suppose we have him to thank for." He mumbles. Having hesitated in saying that.
Ciel, you move to a spot where you can cast your spell and you soon look like a villager from here. (edited)[Grandfather]: "There are none. This place is under the protection of the stranger." He explains. "If... If you two are true to your words then you would just leave us be..." He says. Stating the last offer.
[Granddaughter]: "No! Grandpa, they should stay. They probably need help too. Look. They even have a child amongst them. Why would you be so rude and keep them under the rain too?" She sighs in frustration and looks at the both of you. "Come indoors. We can speak there." The woman explains.
[Grandfather]: "Alice! What did I just sa-"
[Granddaughter]: "Enough, grandpa! Please. I know good people when I see them..." She says. Her tone was raised before slowly calming down. This was enough to make the old man stop and just march off back into the house.[Granddaughter]: "Ah! I'm sorry then. I apologize for calling you a child." She bows her head in an apologetic manner. Shortly flashing a smile to the both of you. "Come on. It's warm inside. I even prepared di-" And just as she was about to open the door for you, you guys feel the ground shake. As well as hear this low growl. It appears to be coming from the coastline. This makes the woman stop and look exactly where the source of the sound is coming from. "I think... your friend found him." She then look sat the both of you. "You should go." She says. A mix of worry and encouragement in her tone.You all link up together by the rocks and see the sight of something resurfacing together. If not for the evening time, you guys might be able to tell what's coming. But it's only a matter of time before whatever is down there is to reveal itself. Surely enought, 'he' arrives.
First was a head. Shortly followed by a neck. No. A body. A very, large and long body. Its figure was that of a serpent. This creature would eventually stop at a certain height but something tells you it is much bigger down there. The weather just happens to worsen at the same time. Making the rain pour harder and louder. Then through the already dark place, these glowing red eyes can be seen. As well as its massive fangs.
-Duiii raaackh maaaaaroommmphhhhh-
It says in a foreign language. Its voice so loud and deep that it shakes the very world around you. (edited)
The giant serpant of the sea looks down upon the three of you. Holding silence and letting the storm above 'speak'. Simply letting its presence be known by all.
Apollo, in the form of a sheep, could feel something bad about this creature. Not to the point where he is afraid of course. Rather, his body is telling him that this thing is VERY dangerous.
-Ferrrr ammmmmm degggg-rughhh-
-Diiii femmm rarghhhh-
The earth once again rumbles as he speaks. Beating the cracking thunder in the sky and the fall of rain.
Translation: "Are you aware with whom you are speaking to? I advise that you careful with your words and behavior."-Giiiiiii opp duuuu-vaaa jitth livthhhet-
-Vaaaaaruuuuumph zooooo rije-jg-
Translation: "Explain your purpose of being here. Why step on the grounds I overseer and protect?"
From what the giant serpant is saying, he doesn't seem to care about his own identity. Usually might creatures would introduce themselves but this one stays 'quiet' and humble. He just went right into the important details. Searching for information. just like you guys.-Biiiif-askkkk fraaaaan Langr-riinnn heimtroookkk-umkkm-
-Dinnn mun-rachhhhh kopppp rrrarinnn fooooomph-
-Seerrr-vioooom gggggg-erriir unss-gahhhh-
Translation: "Now you do. I am able to understand your kind's tongue. You are fortunate that I do not have the urge to consume you all. Especially the little one.
The serpant would lower its head a bit. Looking at each of you. You could feel its warm breath as it speaks in the process. The smell wasn't pleasant either.-The child has no place here if he will continue to be a distraction. Nonetheless, I will accept your proposal. Only because my summoner has deemed you all as non-threats. But the small wooly creature... It sense... It builds my hunger.-
He lowers his head again though moving it right in front of Paris and his sheep. Though his head was large enough to pretty much cover all of you together.
-What is the information you seek, Ciel? Myself and my summoner do not have a lot of time on our hands.-The giant serpent wawtches the boy hop away and sing a shanty. Staring at him his sheep followers in pure silence before shifting his head towards the both of you.
-It is correct. There has been a spike from the leyline branching out here. All for my summoner's plan. The source is likely coming from him.-
The serpant explains. While the creature is capable of lying, this is the type of servant that does not seem like the type to do so.
-A few more questions can be entertained. Otherwise, if you wish for our cooperation, you must fulfill our combined favors.-
From the pauses he would make every now and then, it seems he is being told what to say for some things. Simply relaying whoever is talking to him. Likey his summoner. His master.-Indeed. My summoner's goal is to make a better place for the people of this village, the people of this country, and for the people that rest in other parts of the world.-
He explains. But just as he is about to say something, the giant looks to the side. As if it had sensed something.
-Alas. My time is out. I must return to my summoner. If you wish to meet him and understand more about his plan, then you are to return in a day's time. Either yourselves again or trustful representative. My summoner offers negotiations that could benefit all parties.-There was yet another moment of silence from the serpent. You can't quite tell what he is thinking but you would eventually recieve an ansewr.
-You are correct with your assumption earlier, human. I am the World Serpent, Jörmungandr.-
And just as he states his name, confirming it rather, he slowly begins to sink back into the depths of the water.
-My summoner is eager to talk in the future... Do not bring trouble otherwise you will all... Mm. I'll leave it up to your own imagination.-
With that final message, the giant serpent sinks back to the sea. No longer in sight.
You have accomplished your mission of identifying the source of the mana surge. As well as form a meeting with the summoner of Jörmungandr. It's likely your group or different people from Chaldea will be getting in on the plans of a powerful individual. One with a noble goal, it seems.
And just as the serpent leaves, the rain stops. The night is quiet. And the waves by the coast gently brush the shoreline. All was at peace once more.A sea of thick bark and forest as far as the eye could see and beyond, was the sight that stretched to the team now present. The surrounding trees were as big as buildings, and even the smallest blade of grass was brimming with life, almost shining with it.
Yet, there is something within your minds now. The Triangle of Growth. Though it was more of a dome than a proper triangle. A vast construction of roots and vines that spanned kilometers inside, and that was impenetrable by even an Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm, or a dozen being fired off at the same time. To see it directly hurts the eyes. But...
Meuniere comes into view, after a long mysterious absence, to fulfill his duty once more. You're close to the east side of the triangle, carried over here thanks to the Walking Fortress.
"Okay team, time for a swift briefing. We've determined that the way to break through the Dome's seemingly impenetrable defenses is through an Anti-World Noble Phantasm, with some being able to affect the very laws by which reality is built. Thus, your mission is simple: Carry Alter Ego as close as you can, and let her unleash her Noble Phantasm into the walls. We expect it should conceptually be able to break through, allowing our teams a passage directly into the inside to strike down the Lord of Growth. Should that fail, Berserker is to unleash her Noble Phantasm as well."
"Sadly, it is never as easy as it is said... A large concentration of hostile signals, as well as giant amounts of mana readings that match previous encounters confirm what we suspect: the Lord himself will greet you, alongside a sizeable fighting force. Do your best, and do whatever it takes to go through. Failure is not an option!"
"Any questions?"
@Game Ping 1 (edited)
1
As you advance through the forest, you begin to see a clear that gives you a more close look at the wall, green and lush in its gargantuan might, seemingly impossible to break. Your task would be to prove this assertion wrong.
And there would you spot obstacles: a dozen warriors blocking your path, ready to fulfill their destinies and die by their Lord. Behind them, a thick secondary wall of vines and thorns.
And although you may not directly see him, you definitely feel a sight looking at you. It must be the Lord.And as if the trees had mouths and tongues, a voice spoke through them.
"Chaldea. The thorn of deviancy that somehow doesn't never leave my side. No matter how much one may attempt to weed you out, you are persistent. Revolting."
"Leave. I am close to finishing my great work. I'll rather not have it ruined by your interference."
"Specially you, blasphemer. Your presence makes my stomach revolt. Retreat and I might consider sparing your for your slight."
That last bit seemed directed at @Fox/Wilt/[pending]/Wu/Lae
Calm down, Katsu.
Alter-Ego's purpose has been completed. Now follows the rest of the operation.
A gaping hole is made through the dome, and although the defense is fierce, you slip through the cracks.
As soon as you step in... You see it. A true megapolis, extends far beyond what the eye can see. Vast trees cover the land for miles and miles, each seemingly serving as home to the faithful of the Lord. An interconnected network of vines and plants serves to provide transport and communication alongside the "Triangle" zone, but...
The most important thing, is the Tree that lays upside down in the celling. 'Gargantuan' doesn't begin to describe it. One of its branches must be bigger that the whole route you took to get here. It ominously dominates the landscape.
It is definitely a tree worth of being called the "World Tree".
But there is no time to spare. You are in the run. Run. Run. Run for the hell of it. You can hear them approach, you can listen to them waiting for you make a slip up, to catch you and drag you to a dark place. One you don't wish to meet. So run, as your life depends on it. Because it does.
Target? Disable the "Living Terminal", an entity that serves as a watchdog for the area, according to the information that was extracted from the Witches. Allow the primary team from reaching the Lord.
Good luck.
1
You reach the field of oaks... When you hear a voice reach out to you. Coming from between the trees, from multiple directions.
"Two Spirits, two mages... Chaldeans, of course you are. For what purpose do you intend to trample upon the Lord's ambitions, to spit on the peace of the faithful? What reason would merit your continued existence?
So does the multiple voices declare, from different angles, as if verbally assaulting you.
@Game Ping 1 (edited)...
Revolting. Insulting. A barbarian, a Mage that squanders their gifts, a rascal, and... an abomination, I can feel an otherwordly presence on you. the last of which was directed to Foreigner
To think such wretches have infected our sanctity. No matter. You will be disposed of. By the Lord's glory, you will become only a smear on the floor, and your remains will serve as the foundation of the Lord's might. (edited)"Silence." 2Revolting. Initiating calculations.
"Calculations finished. I have gotten the result that will lead to your destruction. Should you desire so, surrender and your demise will be painless."
And an aberrant cacophony assault Theisoa's ears, from within her very being. Plants also start to grow around Emm.